Longest Night
by P-Artsypants
Summary: Marinette had thought Highschool had been hard. Right now, in this moment, she'd give anything to go back to those petty arguments and gossip fueled drama. But she couldn't. Instead, she and Adrien were trapped here, being punished, humiliated, tortured, for being heroes, all broadcasted for the world to see. At least she and her kitty were in this together. For now. Whump!Fic
1. Lying

PLEASE NOTE:

This story starts out kinda rough, but in oncoming chapters, there will be graphic torture of the physical, emotional, and mental nature. But I WILL NOT be writing anything sexually graphic. It would make sense, in terms of story, but I just don't want to.

Also, I haven't seen all of season three. I've just been cherry picking. It should be pretty obvious which ones are included. The main five (six with Hawkmoth) are the only Miraculous users appearing.

(Crossposted on Ao3 and Tumblr)

* * *

Three years was a long time to fight against one man. Hundreds of Akuma, thousands of frightened citizens, and yet they were no more closer to finding Hawkmoth than day one. He came out when it was convenient for him.

Because of the continued attacks, Paris was starting to grow concerned. It came out on forums and political talks on TV.

What was taking Ladybug and Chat Noir so long? What were they doing? Why haven't they stopped him yet?

It started out slowly, and just in the most radical groups. But as time went on, more and more jumped on the band wagon.

Ladybug's saving grace was the Ladyblog, that always reported every detail of any Ladybug related news. And Alya, reporter that she was, was quick to remind everyone that Ladybug fixed all damage that was done, and criticizing them wasn't helping.

Still, concern and restlessness persisted in the back of minds.

But Ladybug and Chat Noir persisted in their promise to protect. They patrolled more often, and started to branch out into other crime fighting. Thieves, muggers, carjackers, pickpockets, any sort of criminal was taken care of.

But since they weren't the police, there was no arrests made. It was mostly just a slap on the wrist and making them return what they've stolen. It was effective in the moment, and helped ease some minds about the heroes.

Then came Edward Savauge.

If there ever was a god on earth, it was Mr. Savauge. A man who held no qualms about doing what needed to be done in business. He held all the cards, could pull any string, and had a lot of people wrapped around his fingers.

By trade, a drug dealer, a pimp, and a casino owner. And he excelled in all of those areas. Ask most people, they had either never heard of him, or pretended not to.

The most powerful man on earth, and his existence was only a rumor.

Until that fateful night when Ladybug and Chat Noir did their evening patrols.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's start in the morning, when Marinette and Adrien had to face what would become a minor problem.

Yet felt like the world was crashing down around them.

Marinette's alarm blared some awful tune at maximum volume. She jumped, flailing, not knowing where she was in her sleep addled mind.

"That's one way to wake up." Tikki snickered, having also been startled.

Marinette sat up, her hair a tangled mess, and her legs twisted in her sheets. Blearily, she blinked to wake herself up. What a crummy night's sleep. It was too hot with the sheets, too cold without them. The bed was just a little lumpy. And there had been an firetruck at work down the street. (Ladybug had checked in. It was just a false alarm) but the truck had remained there for at least an hour with its lights on.

"The point of setting the alarm was to make you actually get up and get to school on time." Tikki chastised.

Marinette turned her bleary eyes on the floating red dot, and tossed her blanket over it.

"Hey!"

"Snooze."

"I don't work like that Marinette! Come on!" She phased through the comforter. "Don't you want to see Adrien?"

Marinette smiled. "Adrien…" Then she groaned. "Fine!" She actually got up, throwing her blankets off, and got out of bed. Her hair took too long to untangle, her clothes were just a little too tight, or a little too itchy. And despite waking up early, she was still running late.

She threw her hands up into the air in the courtyard. "Anything else wanna go wrong today!? Go on! Take your best shot!"

Oh, how she regretted that.

She walked into the classroom, five minutes before the bell, and the room fell absolutely silent. Lila was sitting on a desk as everyone was gathered around her, but as Marinette entered, they all turned to look at her. The other thing of important note, was that Adrien's face was bright red and he looked absolutely mortified.

This was very not good.

"G-Good morning?" She asked, tactfully, hoping to break the silence.

"Girl…you're not serious…"

Marinette looked down at her clothes. She wasn't wearing her pajamas, right? She didn't have any embarrassing stains on her clothes, nothing on backwards. "Um…what?"

Alix crossed her arms with a 'hmph,' "You know very well what we're talking about, pervert."

_Pervert? _That was really really not good. "I'm…I'm sorry? I'm not sure what you're talking about?"

Kim backed Alix up. "Lila just spilled. She said she caught you taking pictures of Adrien while he was changing in the locker room."

Marinette's eyebrows flew up to her hairline. "I would never do that!"

Alya couldn't meet her eyes. "I don't know, girl…you tend to go overboard when it comes to Adrien…"

"But I didn't!"

"I'm sorry Marinette," Lila said, pathetic little snivels between words. "I saw you, and I wasn't going to say anything, because it's none of my business, but…Adrien is my friend. He deserved to know. Everyone deserved to know."

She dared to look at Adrien, who still was red and extremely embarrassed. "I would never do that to you." She told him.

"I believe you." He assured, but his eyes darted away.

Lila had hit hard and right in the weak spot. Adrien couldn't support her here, because how would he know?

"Everyone knows you're basically a stalker," Alix said again. "Everyone has seen all of his pictures all over your walls."

"And don't forget that you have his schedule all written out." Added Mylene. "And all those plans you made so that you could just be alone together."

"Marinette, you're obsessed. And you definitely crossed a line here. You need serious help." Alya said, concern in her features.

Marinette frowned, her chest unbelievably tight, and her eyes prickling with the tears of betrayal. "So that's how it's gonna be, huh? Fine." She took off her bag, and placed in at her desk, then she stood in the front of the room, and addressed her peers.

"I'm in love with Adrien Agreste." She announced.

Adrien looked to her, his mouth opening slightly. He didn't know how far this lie went, but it seemed pretty steep.

"I figured out his schedule, and made a calendar, so I could know where he was at any given point in the day. Because I wanted to be able to find him if I ever actually got up the courage to talk to him. I think he's super cute, so I hung pictures of him all over my room. And that was easy, since he was a model." She let out a sob, as tears started rolling down her cheeks.

Bless her heart, Rose started crying too.

She rubbed her cheek with her fist, and sniffed, but continued. "I stole his phone once. I called and left the world's most embarrassing voicemail. So I stole his phone and deleted it before he could hear it."

Lila just sat there, looking smug and triumphant. Though no one else saw it, since they were all focused on Marinette.

"Every week, I made a special macaron, passion fruit, just for him. But I never got the courage to ever give it to him. I stole a note he threw away in the trash, that was a love letter for someone, and I dared to hope it was for me, so I responded to it. I even tried to kiss a wax statue of him at the museum…only it turned out it was actually Adrien, and not a statue."

There was some snickering at that.

"So yeah. I love Adrien. I don't always think clearly when it comes to him. But I'm a dumb teenager, and I'm allowed to make mistakes and do cringey things."

She wiped her face and swallowed hard. "But I swear, on all that is good and holy, that I have never taken pictures of him in any context without his permission. I respect him too much for that." Then she took out her phone, unlocked it, and placed it in front of Adrien. "To prove it, I want you to go through my photos. If there's any of you that shouldn't be seen, you'll be the only one to see them."

So the class waited in silence as Adrien swiped through her phone. He checked her recents, and then some other albums, including the biggest one labelled 'Adrien 3'

"There's…a lot of pictures of me…" he said sheepishly. "But none of me changing. They all look like they were saved from shoots. Which…isn't that weird."

"So," Marinette spoke up, evening her glare at Lila. "One of us is lying, and it isn't me."

Lila pouted, and said with an irritatingly concerned voice, "Well, I'm just glad that you recognized what you were doing was wrong, and decided to delete the pictures."

Marinette punched the table, overcome with palpable rage.

Adrien glanced around the room, keeping a watch for an akuma. Doubtless, one was on the way.

Marinette seemed to notice this gesture, and took a massive breath. When she spoke, her voice was eerily calm. "What did I do? What made all of you suddenly so eager to distrust me? Since when did I become a liar?"

"Marinette..." Alya tried to say.

"You doomed yourself, Dupain-Cheng." Said Chloe, speaking for the first time. "If you were willing to do all that other stuff, what's stopping you from doing this?"

"Because it's not only wrong, it's a felony." She returned.

"So is stealing a phone."

"I gave it back!" She nearly shouted. "Yes! I get it! I…I have a problem…but I wouldn't do this. Please believe me, I wouldn't."

"But Lila saw you…"

"She's lying! She's always lying! All she's ever done is lied!"

"Marinette," Lila said, hiding her face in her hands, hiding the fact she wasn't even crying. "All I ever wanted was to be your friend, but you let your jealousy get in the way of it. You need to face the truth."

"The truth?" Marinette let out a humorless laugh. "The truth is that I have done everything I could to help everyone in this room. I bent over backwards to arrange parties, to make banners, give encouragement, talk to teachers, stand up to bullies! And the moment I need support, everyone is gone! There's no proof! No evidence! Just some faked tears from a girl who has lied to get attention."

She snatched her backpack up from her desk. "Congratulations Lila, you made good on your threat. You've turned everyone against me, just like you said you would. But I'm ending things on my own terms." She glanced around the room. "If you ever need me again, think twice." She shouldered her backpack to leave, and then looked at Adrien.

He had tears in his eyes, his heart breaking for her.

"I'm sorry," she said. "For all the immature stuff I did. I…I still love you. I hope you can forgive me."

Then she bolted, without looking back.

—

Back at home, Marinette darted into the bakery.

"Marinette! Why are you home? Oh goodness, what happened?" Sabine noticed her daughter's distress almost immediately.

"Girls are catty and stupid!" She cried out.

Sabine took off her apron and called to her husband. "Tom, I need you to take over the register! Marinette needs me."

"Okie dokie darling!"

Sabine led her upstairs, as she sobbed and squeaked out everything that had happened. Sabine just held her, hushing her silently.

"And-And then I just…I just left! I didn't know what else to do!"

"No, honey, leaving was a good idea. That was a terrible thing for your so-called friends to do." She handed her a cup of tea. "Don't even worry, darling. I'll make sure to pick up any homework you miss. There's no reason for you to have to see your classmates, unless they come groveling and begging for forgiveness."

Marinette managed a laugh. "Thanks maman."

Sabine kissed her on the forehead. "So what do you want to do? Wanna watch a movie? Or play some games?"

Marinette shook her head. "I…I just want to be alone for a while."

Sabine seemed hesitant, the thought of an akuma taking her daughter…

"I'll be okay. I'm just kind of tired from all the crying. I'm going to lay down. Maybe I'll watch some funny videos."

"Okay, honey. but if you need anything, don't hesitate to call for me." She gave her another kiss, and then returned to the bakery.

Tikki appeared the moment they were alone. "Marinette…" She sniveled. "I'm so sorry…"

"Oh Tikki…" She cupped her in her hands, holding her gently to her cheek. "Thank you. I'm so glad you're with me."

"I won't leave you alone for a second." The kwami insisted. "Not until you're smiling again."

Marinette stood and went upstairs, closing the door behind her. "Will you keep watch?"

"Of course."

She hooked up her phone to her speakers, and started blasting Jagged Stone as loud as she could stand. The bass rattled in her chest and the shred of the guitar numbed her skull. Over the next few minutes, she went around and yanked every last picture of Adrien off her walls.

When the song ended, and the walls were bare, she collapsed on her chaise, spent and exhausted.


	2. Talking

Now, I bet you're wondering about that criminal I mentioned earlier. Not to worry, we'll get to him soon. It's now around lunchtime, the day where everything went wrong.

Adrien was on his way to the bakery, as he had been buzzing in his seat ever since this morning.

"Dude, where are you going?" Nino asked, grabbing his arm.

"To Marinette." He answered, plainly. "I have to talk to her."

"Dude…let it go. You dodged a bullet. Good thing she got caught now instead of when she's sitting in a tree outside your house."

Adrien frowned at his best friend. "Wait…you believe Lila?"

"Why wouldn't I? You heard what Marinette said…all the things she's done."

"But she said she didn't do it."

"And you believe her?"

"She's never given me a reason not to…she's never given you a reason not to either."

"But—"

"Lila, on the other hand, _has_ lied. About a few things. Especially about knowing Ladybug."

"But she _does_ know Ladybug. It was on the Ladyblog."

Adrien rolled his eyes. "Yeah, because she lied to Alya, and Alya didn't check her sources!"

"How do you know she was lying?"

"Ladybug told me. She was extremely mad about it too. Ladybug claimed she had never met Lila, and hated it when people lied. It was…a little extreme, to be honest, but as someone who hates being used as a ticket of association, I understood."

"Wait…when did that happen?"

"Back when Lila first moved here. Like…two years ago?" This was added sheepishly.

"Why didn't you say anything earlier?"

"Because after Ladybug called her out, she was akumatized. I…I didn't want that to happen again." He sighed. "Still, she was akumatized again later, as Chameleon? That day I had told her that she didn't need to lie to make friends. I remember her saying, specifically, 'oh, so you're going to lecture me just like Ladybug?' She just got really defensive and nasty. Even though I was nothing but nice to her."

"That's…that's freaky. I thought she was the sweetest person."

"She's been in contact with my father too. He thinks we're best friends, but I tell him that I don't think we should trust her. He never listens."

"Shocker."

Adrien chuckled. "Yeah, true. Still…I didn't want to get involved, but I have to now. I know Marinette wouldn't do this."

"Dude, you don't think she'll tell your dad, do you?"

"Oh god I hope not."

"Better get in contact with your lawyer."

"No kidding. I just…I just hope she doesn't get akumatized again."

Nino slugged an arm around his shoulder. "Dude, you're a really nice guy, but sometimes your priorities are off."

"Yeah yeah. Look, I told Marinette to just take the high road because I assumed Lila would get caught in her own web. But…she didn't. She caught everyone else instead. And now Marinette is probably the one about to get akumatized."

"What are you planning on saying to her? You don't like her like that."

"No…but I don't hate her, and I definitely don't mind that she likes me. I'll just invite her for some ice cream, and then we'll go from there."

"You're a good guy. Better man than me."

"You just…pass along what I told you to Alya, and we'll call it even."

—

Marinette had fallen asleep, thankfully, and didn't have to wrestle with her inner turmoil. She awoke, her eyes opening, as she looked across the room. She didn't move much else.

"Hi," said Tikki, softly. "Feel any better?"

"A little numb. Like…it was all a bad dream." But looking at the state of chaos in her room, she could tell it wasn't. It was all too real. "Adrien knows I'm in love with him…that I…I stalked him."

"You didn't stalk him." Tikki reminded, gently. "You were obsessed, but you stayed a healthy distance. You never broke into his house."

"The birthday party?"

"You forgot to sign a card. That's hardly a crime."

Marinette smiled shortly. "Still…I learned my lesson."

"You're not at fault here, Marinette. Lila lied. You've taken the high road, just like Adrien suggested, and your hands are clean. You only told the truth. Adrien believes you, and that's all that matters. Let's just…let's just see where this goes."

Marinette sighed. "I wish it was the weekend."

"Well, your mom seemed pretty cool with it. She'll probably let you stay home for a few days."

"Marinette? Are you awake?" Called her mom's voice from below.

"Kinda." She groaned.

"You have a guest."

She frowned. Her mom wouldn't have even let Lila into the bakery at least. "Have they come to grovel?"

"If that's what I need to do to talk to you, I will." Adrien's voice answered.

She was so startled she fell off the settee, her feet tangled in the blanket. "Shit."

The hatch opened, and Adrien came in. "Are you ok—oh..."

Marinette scrambled, sitting on the floor. "I...I wasn't expecting—you didn't have to...I'm okay!"

He looked meaningfully around the room, noticing the paper crumbled everywhere, and corners still stuck to the walls. "I don't think you are."

She grabbed a picture off the floor. It was ripped, and crumbled already. "It's nothing against you...it's the pictures themselves I'm mad at."

He sat down daintily on the settee, as she remained on the floor.

"I never wanted you to find out like this."

"Of course not."

"I just...I don't know who to be mad at. Lila, obviously for making up that story, but...I made it very easy for her to do so." She crumbled the picture into a ball, and threw it to the trash can, missing.

"Can...can I confess something embarrassing?" Adrien asked, flipping her ponytail over her shoulder.

"Do you have a near stalker-ish crush on someone?"

He was silent, then, "...yeah, and it might be worse than yours."

She turned and looked at him through her lashes. "How could you possibly be worse?"

He sighed. "Because I don't know who she is."

Marinette sputtered. "W-What?!"

"To be fair, I'm pretty sure everyone has a crush on her. It's Ladybug."

She wanted to laugh. A big laugh, that went on and on. A laugh that turned into a sob, because of course this would happen to her.

A laugh at the irony that he loved her, but not her. And probably never would.

Instead, she just managed out, "oh really?"

"Yeah...from nearly the beginning. I have all her action figures, posters, comic books...I leapt on the chance to voice Chat Noir in the movie. She's saved me a few times, but whenever I talk to her, I just...I melt. Sort of...like you do, when you talk to me."

"Did you ever steal her phone to delete an embarrassing voicemail?"

"Well, no—"

"Then you're not as bad. I think your crush is on par with...a fan girl loving her favorite band member."

Adrien wanted to protest, to argue that no, it wasn't like that at all. But it would be impossible to explain that without outing himself as Chat Noir. So he just shrugged. "Well, if you say so. You are the expert after all."

She groaned, her head flopping on the settee. "Gee thanks."

He laughed, and then stood, starting to pick up the photos.

"Oh, you don't have too!" She placed her hand on the floor, making to get up.

"It's fine, I don't mind. You're having a rough day anyways."

She sighed, falling to her rear.

"So..." he began, conversationally. "How long?"

"What?"

"How long have you loved me?"

She blushed. "You're not supposed to ask things like that."

"But I did."

She glared at him, while he giddily smiled back.

"Fine...you remember that day you gave me your umbrella?"

"No...oh wait! You mean all the way back then?!"

"Yeah..."

"Marinette! Why didn't you say anything?!"

"I tried too! I just—I just got nervous. And then...ugh. The second I look into your gorgeous eyes, all thought flies out of my head. Then I'm just stuck standing there with 'I'm talking to Adrien, I'm going to say something wrong, he'll hate me forever' on repeat in my head."

"You're not doing that now."

"...I have nothing to be embarrassed about anymore. You know everything." She exhaled deeply. "So, when are you going to start never talking to me again?"

Adrien laughed, not because it was funny, but because she said it so nonchalant. "I'm not going to stop talking to you. You're one of my best friends. I don't mind you being...eccentric."

"Nice word for it."

"Look, Marinette, I'm a celebrity. I get idolized and objectified by fans all the time. Pictures and posters don't bother me. Knowing my schedule? Thank god someone does. Making my favorite macaron to give to me? Awesome. I would eat it every time. Stealing my phone? Eh, a little extreme, but you gave it back instead of trying to sell it on eBay. These things are pretty typical for me, which is why I didn't notice it sooner. You want to know the sure-fire way to get me to never talk to you again?"

"Take pictures of you changing in the locker room?" She asked with a smirk.

"Worse. Mail me your dirty underwear."

"What! Ew! That's so gross!"

"It's happened more than once. I think they think I'll smell their pheromones and insta-love them."

"That's insane! I promise I'll never do that! Even if you ask me too!"

He laughed. "Then we'll be just fine. I promise."

"Good," she smiled back.

"And one other thing," he rubbed the back of his neck. "You said you found a love letter I wrote and responded to it."

"Yeah, I did. But I never signed the card. Regretted that one for a long time."

"What was it like?"

She flapped her lips like a horse, "boy, that was...that was like two years ago. I wrote it on a little pink heart. Something like...Your hair shines like the sun, your eyes are gorgeous green..."

"I look at you and wonder your innermost thoughts and dreams. Yes, your Valentine I will be, our love will be so true, together for eternity, my heart belongs to you." He finished.

"Yeah...that's the one."

"I loved it. I read it like, everyday for a year. It's still sitting on my desk."

Her eyes became misty as she sniffed.

Adrien stacked all the pictures he had gathered on her desk, then sat on the floor across from her, taking her hands in his. "Marinette...you are an amazing girl. You're sweet, kind, funny, and just...an amazing person. I don't...I don't feel the same way about you, as you do for me...but I wish I did. I don't deserve to be loved by someone like you."

She looked downwards. "Adrien..."

"These next few days are going to be hard. But I promise you, I'll actually support you. Not like I did today..."

"You couldn't do anything today," she assured. "Lila made sure you couldn't. You don't have to beat yourself up over that."

"Okay," he squeezed her hands. "I told Nino that I knew she was lying, and I think he believed me. I'll do my best to convince everyone else."

"Thank you...you really are too good for me."

He shook his head. "I'd say you're too good for all of _them_." Then he reached forward and pulled her into a hug.

She sighed deeply, inhaling his cologne and resting her cheek against his chest. He was warm and soft, and she actually began to relax.

"Marinette…?" He seemed to remember something else.

"Hmm?"

"Before you left this morning, you said something to Lila that's been bothering me. You said, she went through with her threat? Did she really threaten you?"

Marinette pulled away, skirting her hands down his arms to take hold of his hands. "Promise you'll believe me?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I?"

"Because she comes off as so sweet all the time…back when…she had returned to school, and we all switched seats around."

"I remember. That was like…two years ago?"

"Something like that. Anyway, I kept trying to call her out on her lies, and everyone just kept blowing it off as jealousy."

"Jealousy of what? I wasn't giving her that much attention."

"Jealousy that she had friends, I guess?" She huffed. "Anyway, I was upset, and went into the bathroom. She followed me in there, and I told her that she would slip up and everyone would see her lies. She turned a 180, and threatened to turn all my friends against me, and take you away from me…not that you were mine in the first place…"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

She shrugged. "You told me to take the high road."

"Yeah, but I didn't know she was outright threatening you. That changes things!"

"What do you mean?"

He offered a smile, "look, you don't worry about anything right at this moment, okay? You just…keep being beautiful."

She made a soft little, "oh."

"We'll get through this. As a team."

"Partners?"

"Partners."


	3. Explaining

Adrien returned to school after that, and Marinette stayed home. She spent her time designing, watching movies, helping in the bakery, anything to keep her mind occupied. It was unfair that she had to stifle her emotions, but she refused to be a pawn for Hawkmoth.

Her phone laid still all day. No word from Adrien, no apologies or further harassment from anyone else. And that was totally fine with her.

It was now evening, on the day where Ladybug made a new enemy.

—

After school, and after fencing, which was an absolute mess, Adrien returned home to his cage.

Something that Nino had mentioned at lunch time had really stuck with Adrien, and he decided to act on it before things were too late.

"Nathalie? Can I talk to my dad? It's...it's kind of urgent."

She considered for moment. "I'll see if he's free."

God, how awful. Having to make an appointment with his own father. But such was the life of the son of a famous designer. "Thank you."

Nathalie walked into the office and closed the door behind her.

Adrien dropped his bag on the floor, and then collapsed in a chair with a huff.

"What a day," said Plagg, coming out to sit on his leg.

"Yeah, no kidding."

"I told you that Lila girl was trouble, but you decided to be all high and mighty."

"Again, I didn't know that she was threatening Marinette, or else I would have done something else."

"I guess I can't give you a hard time for being stupid."

"Ignorant," Adrien corrected, "I was ignorant of the problem."

"Stupid, ignorant. The thing is that pigtails needed your support, and as a hero, you should have done more."

"Well, what was I supposed to do?! If I called her out, she'd get hurt and get akumatized. If I let her lie, she gets caught and gets akumatized, or other people feel betrayed and get akumatized! I'm between a rock and a hard place here!"

Plagg smirked, "one of those options had a higher Akuma probability than the other."

Adrien rolled his eyes.

"Akuma-wise, I think you made out well this time. Pig tails is strong. And checking in and making up with her was good move."

"Thanks...it just felt like the right thing to do. It was kinda of my fault anyways."

"By doing what? Being cute?!"

Adrien chuckled. "I mean, there had to be a reason that Lila picked me as Marinette's victim."

"Marinette had a crush on you. The only person who is at fault here is Liar."

"Lila."

"See! Even her name gives her away!"

"Plagg..."

"I'm just sore that you got dragged into petty high school drama. Same with pig tails, she seems like a nice girl."

"She is a nice girl!" Adrien confirmed.

Plagg snickered to himself, then continued. "But because you both saw through her, you're being dragged through the mud."

Adrien huffed. "It's stupid. It's totally unfair."

"I agree. Chat Noir should pay her a visit and hold her over the edge of building by the ankle."

Adrien laughed. "I'm not doing that. I bet Hawkmoth would love it though."

"Eh, probably." The Kwami gave him a proud little pat on the cheek. "Just promising pig tails that you'd be there for her was a good move. You could have ignored it, to avoid getting involved."

"No way, there's no way I could have done that."

Plagg smiled with his fangs. "And that's why Master Fu picked you."

"Oh you."

The door to Gabriel's office clicked, and Plagg swooped away to his hiding place.

Adrien looked in horror as _Lila _walked out of Gabriel's office.

"Thank you again for seeing me on such short notice, Mr. Agreste." She said, her voice laced with faked concern.

"Yes, Miss Rossi. I'm glad you decided to come right to me with this. It greatly concerns me. I'll be talking to the police to get that camera confiscated, and I'll be having a word with my lawyer about a restraining order."

"I'm happy to hear that."

"You're welcome here anytime. My secretary will show you out." Then he glanced to Adrien. "Nathalie says you wanted a word with me?"

Adrien didn't respond immediately, since he was too busy glaring at Lila. His fists clenched at his sides, as he trembled.

She just sent him an innocent wave and turned to leave.

"Adrien?"

He stood and walked briskly into the office, standing rigidly.

"You seem uncomfortable, does this have anything to do with those pictures from Miss Dupain-Cheng? Rest assured, Miss Rossi just informed me of the matter and I'm about to take care of it."

"Lila is a compulsive liar." Adrien spat, pressing his index finger down on his desk for emphasis.

"Excuse me?"

"Marinette admitted that she has a crush on me, but she insisted that she has never taken a photo of me, ever, without my consent. Furthermore, Lila has been threatening her for the last two years."

Gabriel sat in his chair and crossed his arms. "You're saying no photographs were ever taken?"

"None! Marinette let me look through her phone. The only photos she had of me were photos from shoots or ones of us with our friends."

"And you believe her?"

"Absolutely. Marinette is honest, kind, and good. You know that! She made that derby hat that Chloe Bourgeois copied and tried to play it off as her own."

"Oh yes, I remember that."

Adrien began to pace as he ranted, "Marinette is the class president. She's always bent backwards to help others, including me. But when Lila started lying to everyone, Marinette called her out for it, and Lila in turn threatened her. Marinette kept being the amazing person that she is, and I guess Lila finally had enough and pulled this...this stunt! Lila has turned everyone against her except for me."

"So you're the only one that believes Marinette?"

"Only because no one else knows that Lila is a liar! She claimed to know Ladybug! But Ladybug appeared one day and shut that down."

Gabriel met his eyes. "You've met Ladybug?"

"She's saved me from some Akuma, so yes."

Gabriel narrowed his eyes. "Be that as it may, I can't allow you to be involved in such childish drama. If there's even a chance that Miss Dupain-Cheng took any photos, I have to pursue legal action."

Adrien crossed his arms. "No."

This surprised Gabriel, as he raised his brows. "No?"

"No. Marinette is not a threat to me. However, Lila is."

"Oh really?"

"Lila has insisted that I will 'belong' to her one day. She doesn't take my feelings into consideration, and someone who compulsively lies is not the kind of person I should be professionally associating with."

"I see—"

"Marinette, on the other hand, is interested in the fashion industry and has been recognized by you, Jagged Stone, and Audrey Bourgeois! And even though her parents aren't in fashion, they are still well known business owners with a good reputation and creditability!"

"I didn't say—"

"And furthermore!" Adrien cut him off. "We have never pursued any legal action action people who have done far worse!"

"Like who?"

"Like that model that groped my butt on the runway? Or that fangirl that tackled me on the street and pulled out a chunk of my hair? The rabid fan girls that send me their unmentionables in the mail? Or Chloe Bourgeois in general? All of those incidences, I told you that I was uncomfortable and wanted you to take action. Instead, you told me that was the life of a celebrity, and I had to deal with it."

"I never said—"

"But the one time there's a rumor about a very good friend of mine, you want to pull out all the stops! And you're not taking my feelings into consideration!"

"Adrien—"

"Marinette is one of my best friends, dad! It's like you purposely want me to be miserable!"

"Are you quite done?" Gabriel bit.

Adrien snapped his jaw shut, and stood silently.

Gabriel exhaled loudly. "You've made your point quite clear. I will withhold any legal action for now, but once there is undeniable prove that she _did_ take explicit photos, I will be getting a restraining order."

"Thank you. As long as this undeniable proof isn't just Lila's words again."

"It would have to hold up in a court of law. If Miss Rossi gets up to testify, and the court fines that she is lying, she can be charged with perjury. That's not something I want to deal with."

"Oh."

Gabriel sighed again, rubbing his forehead. "Have you had any contact with Miss Dupain-Cheng since this came out?"

"Yeah, I visited her during lunch."

"Alone?"

"My bodyguard stayed in the living room."

"Nothing happened?"

"No. She was crying, we talked. That's about it."

"Alright." He tapped his fingers on the surface of his desk. "You…you seem to have some warm regards towards Miss Dupain-Cheng."

"She is a very good friend of mine."

"Just a friend?"

Adrien blushed. "Yeah…just a friend."

Gabriel hid a twitch of a smile, "of course. Well, you know my rules for dating. You're sixteen now, so you may pursue whomever you wish. I would just like to meet them first, and approve of them."

"uh, yeah, but—"

"And you must be prepared for your fans. In an age with social media, people will make assumptions and become irrational. You're significant other must be prepared to ignore the criticism that happens from dating a celebrity, you understand."

"Yes, I do. But why are you bringing this up now?"

Gabriel rolled his eyes. "Girls are fighting over you. Eventually, you'll pick one. And gauging your protectiveness of Miss Dupain-Cheng, it's not hard to guess."

"Wait. First you were accusing her of stalking, now you're accusing me of having a crush on her?"

"Miss Rossi was the one to accuse her of stalking. I'm only acting as a concerned father. You're a teenager, about the same age I was when I started dating. I'm not an idiot."

"I didn't mean to insinuate that you were. I just…I don't feel that way about Marinette."

"If that's what you say, then that's what I'll believe." He turned toward his computer and started to type something, while Adrien just stood there awkwardly. "Don't you have homework to do?"

Ah, the abrupt dismissal. "I—yes, uh…thanks."

"Mmhmm." Gabriel replied without looking up.

Adrien sighed and left the room, closing the door on the way out.

Gabriel waited a few minutes, then went to the painting of his wife.

—

A few moments later, Hawkmoth stood in his lair, his eyes gazing out the window into the fresh fall evening. Paris was a large city of course, and there were many hearts in pain. They echoed and ebbed together in a chorus of agony, dropping out once the emotion was spent, only to be replaced with another.

He stood waiting, focusing on a pinprick of emotion. A girl in distress and anguish, who lived not too far away.

There.

A slow burn, one that had been rolling for hours. A controlled, focused burn. These were the most dangerous akuma. The ones that felt injustice and stewed in it for a long time. The white hot flashes were sufficient and numerous, but those that burned with wrath were powerful.

But he didn't call for an akuma.

He imagined a young kid, a designer with hope on the horizon, though she was drowning in the drama bestowed upon her as a high schooler.

_It's like you purposely want me to be miserable!_

Gabriel clenched his fist. How dare he! How dare his son question his decisions! Didn't he know it was for the best? Didn't he know he was doing this for him!?

No. He didn't. Because if Adrien knew who he was, he'd run. He'd scratch and claw and scream and beg to be let go.

And if he found out he had akumatized his crush, he'd never speak to him again.

"Dark Wings Fall."

Gabriel Agreste remained in the big empty room, surrounded by his little butterflies.

"Master?" Asked sad little Nooroo.

Gabriel shook his head. "I don't know what's wrong with me. Am I…am I forgetting her? Am I giving up?"

The little kwami didn't say anything, but floated up to meet his eyes. "You've been passing on the ones who are grieving. You have no problems akumatizing those who are selfishly angry. You…I think you're healing yourself, by not hurting others."

Gabriel didn't answer, but looked back outside.

"I think…it's a little nicer that way."


	4. Fighting

Then it came time for patrol. And here, dear reader, is where it all goes wrong.

A fall evening, not long after sunset, cool winds, but not unpleasant. Ladybug and Chat Noir were doing their weekly rounds. Looking for any sign of Hawkmoth or an Akuma. But so far, nothing 'super' had been seen.

Ladybug arrived at the Eiffel Tower first, having left 15 minutes ahead of time out of restlessness.

Still, Chat was late, and she made sure to mention it as he landed next to her with a 'thwump'.

"You're late, Kitty."

"My apologies, it's so rude to keep a lady waiting."

"You better have a good excuse."

"But of course!" He smiled. "Caught a pickpocket on the way here. Walked him to the police station and had him turn over his wallets. They're taking it from there."

"Good Kitty!" She praised, scratching under his chin.

He relished in it. "What about you? You…you don't look so hot. You feeling okay?"

She shook her head. "I feel fine Chat. Just…just a bad day. I don't really want to talk about it."

"Are you sure?"

She offered a smile. "Maybe after patrol, if I'm feeling like it."

"Okay. You can talk to me about anything, My Lady. I don't judge."

"I know. It's just…its fresh. And I don't want to cry anymore."

His ears flattened to his head. "Oh…"

She sighed, trying to breach a new topic. "ugh, I haven't seen a thing. I haven't even seen any angry couples fighting."

"We could fight?" He offered.

She rolled her eyes at him. "Very funny."

"I thought it was!"

"Give it up Chat, you're going to win me the day pigs fly."

"Be careful what you wish for. You never know, Hawkmoth might make a flying pig Akuma."

She hummed. "You know, that wouldn't be the weirdest Akuma he's made."

Chat laughed, "besides, there's nothing wrong with being a little flirty, right?"

"As long as it's not in the middle of a fight." She reprimanded.

He held his hands up in surrender. "Of course, of course."

She offered a smile. "Well, I'm going to check the docks first. Been catching a few drug deals happening down there."

"Good idea. I'll double back on Barbes Boulevard. Just to double check."

"Call me if you need backup."

"Likewise, Bug. Be safe."

"You know I will." She blew him a kiss and leapt away towards the Seine.

The docks were never really a civilian hotspot. People rarely even went there in the day, unless they worked there. So at night, it was safe to assume anyone there was up to no good.

So of course, when Ladybug saw headlights shining in an alleyway, she knew something was up. She crept over, and watched from the rooftop.

There were several men, most in expensive suits. One with a white suit that Marinette could already tell was so luxurious, her father couldn't afford it with two years profits at the bakery.

The man himself was huge, reminding her of Kingpin from the Spider-Man comics Alya had in her bathroom. He stood in front of the head lights, his shadow cast against the ground and to the wall somehow bigger than his associates.

About five men, including this rich one, were facing a young man, in a classic showdown.

The large man spoke, his voice ricocheting off the wall and settling in her stomach with nausea. "I gave you a month. That's more time than I've ever given anyone before. I saw promise in you. I took you in."

"Eddy, please—" The younger man begged. Ladybug couldn't see his face, but she could hear his panic.

The man grunted.

"M-Mr. Savauge. You gotta understand! I was doing great! I made all of it back, with interest! But-but my buddy double crossed me! He took all of it. But I know where he's going! If you give me just a little more time—"

Ladybug took out her compact and silently sent her coordinates to Chat.

"Charles..." the man, this Mr. Savauge drawled out. "This was your last chance. I warned you in the beginning. You're just not made for dealing. Not dealing cards, not dealing drugs...but I will get my money from you. And I know..._just_ what to do. Got plenty of rich old bitches looking for companions."

"No...no please sir! I don't want to do that! I got a girl! I can't do that to her!"

"No girls huh? That's fine, got lots of bull queers too. They'd love that cute little ass of yours."

"No! No please!"

Mr. Savauge laughed, a sick sound that made Ladybug curl her lips in disgust. "I'm just kidding, Charles. You're too ugly to be a prostitute."

The other men laughed.

Mr. Savauge held up a fist, silencing them. "You know Charles, it's surprisingly easy to get information on people these days. Especially for someone like me. I know everything! I even know who Hawkmoth is!"

Ladybug gripped her yo-yo. She would be confronting this man, one way or another.

"So you know, trying to hide you and your wife's life insurance policy from me? It ain't gonna cut it."

"No...please not my wife!"

"I'm not gonna touch your wife. That is, as long as she complies. You're worth more dead than alive to me, Charles. And I much as I liked your spunk, I'm going to have to make a decision based on business."

There was some clicking noises as the man's goons withdrew guns.

"Nothing personal, kid."

Ladybug leapt, her yo-yo spinning to create a shield, as she landed in between Charles and the fire.

"Hold it!" Mr. Savauge called out.

The gunfire ceased, and Ladybug stopped spinning her yo-yo. But she was still on defense, ready to start again at a moment's notice.

From this perspective, the man was just a silhouette against the light. LED headlights, super bright, made her squint.

"Why, if it ain't the cutesy little bug girl. What're you doing here, kid? Don't you got a moth to catch?"

She answered calmly, her voice a pitch deeper than usual. "I happened to be in the area. I overheard you mention you know who Hawkmoth is."

He barked out a laugh. "It's an expression! Come on, no one knows who that psychopath is."

But Ladybug still didn't budge. She fixed her glare on him.

"Oh, you really got that menacing look down! If you weren't an actual child, I might be scared!" He chuckled. "But I'm being honest Ladybug. I don't know who Mothman is. Don't know, don't care. Now move along, this doesn't concern you."

"I promised to protect Paris, and that's what I'll do."

The man winced, "man, superhero types are just no joke. Fine, have it your way, Bug. Open fire."

Ladybug spun her yo-yo frantically as a hail of bullets came raining down on her and Charles. She felt his hands on her back, and knew he was trying to hide behind her.

"Distract them for me, okay?" He said into her ear.

"Wait! Don't!"

But it was too late. Charles tried to run. He only made it a single step out from her shield, before being shot several times in the chest. He didn't even scream. Just stopped, collapsed onto his knees, and fell flat on the ground.

"No!" Her line fell slack for a moment and a bullet whizzed just passed her cheek, leaving a burning sensation just below the mask line and a ringing in her ears. She snapped back to attention quickly, and avoided any other nasty blows. The gunfire was suppressive and her arms were getting tired.

Her saving grace came from her partner arriving, coming up behind the goons and taking them out quickly, before they could turn to shoot.

But that didn't mean they didn't try.

Chat weaved in between them, not standing still and always staying close enough to be a risk of them shooting each other.

Ladybug took the opportunity to also take out a goon, who had been distracted. A clear shot with her yo-yo to the back of the head, and the gun fire ceased.

Mr. Savauge had wisely ducked down during the fight, and right as he returned to his feet, he found himself tied up in a yo-yo line.

"End of the road, scum."

"Scum? Me? Do you even know who I am?" He laughed. "Who am I kidding, of course you don't."

Chat stood opposite Ladybug, effectively cutting off the exit should he try to escape. Not that he would be able to break his bonds though.

"I don't care who you are. A young man is dead because of you. I will make sure you go to prison for your crimes."

The man laughed. "That's real cute bug. Real cute. But here's the thing, I'm _Edward Savauge_. I can buy and sell you. I know every dirty secret of every cop and politician in Europe. You try to do anything to me, and I promise you'll suffer instead."

Her line grew tighter.

"I'll give you to the count of three to let me go...1..."

"Don't listen to him, my lady. He's full of hot air."

"2..."

Ladybug didn't waver. She didn't even consider it.

"...3...we're enemies now, Ladybug. You're going to regret that for the rest of your short life."

"Get in line."

Neither party said another word until the police arrived. Ladybug explained the situation, but there was little to explain, considering the guns and body on the ground.

Mr. Savauge was taken away without a word.

After all was done, now long after midnight, the heroes returned to the rooftops.

"My lady, you're bleeding."

"I know, I can feel it. Must have been a bullet."

"Who was that guy?"

"Some gangster drug lord pimp. I don't know. A bad dude."

"Well, he's going to prison."

"...I hope."

"You hope? There was a body on the ground with gunshot wounds, and a whole bunch of guns! There's no way!"

"Something he said bothered me. About knowing everyone's secrets. He even claimed to know Hawkmoth's identity."

"...you don't think he knows ours?"

"I don't know, Kitty. But I'd stay on your toes."

"Absolutely." He nodded. "You should go see Master Fu about that cut. Then maybe come up with an excuse when people ask what happened."

"I'm really clumsy in my normal life, I'll just say I tripped and hit a corner of my table."

"Perfect! Next time I see you, I'll be sure to give you a little kiss to make it better."

"You'd infect it."

"Rude."

"Maybe some day, kitten." She said, looking at the ground. The police cars were long gone, and the other car was powered off. In the dark of the night, the blood stain from the young man was impossible to see. Still, in her mind, she could see it. She could hear the sound of his breath coming up short, since it didn't even get the chance to scream.

"My lady?"

"I saw a man die today. I could have saved him, but he darted out from behind me."

"He would have died regardless," Chat reminded her gently. "You did your best, and that's all that matters."

She didn't respond, just kept looking to the ground.

"You wanna talk about what was bothering you earlier?"

She shook her head. "That seems so…so minor now. My crush found out I liked him, I mean, I told him, but I was forced into it. There was a bunch of other shitty things, too. But that's the main thing."

"I'm so sorry, Bug."

"It's…it's not a big deal anymore. We talked, and we're good. So I just…" Tears started rolling down her bloody cheeks. "I'm scared."

His arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer. "It's going to be okay, Bug."

"How can you be sure?"

"Cat intuition."

"That's not a thing."

"Well, it is now." He nuzzled his nose in her hair. "Look, the guy in the suit? He's full of hot air. We're both wearing masks, and no one knows who we are. People have been trying for years. He was just trying to psych you out."

Ladybug swallowed thickly. "If that's what you think…"

"I know so. You were right to be so diligent about our secret identities. This will blow over. Trust me."

"I guess I have no choice." She chuckled. "Now I got to go, my face hurts."

He warmly brushed his hand over her arm. "I'll catch you later Bug."

—

Later that night, Marinette laid awake in bed. It was nearing 4 in the morning, and she just couldn't sleep.

Who could, seeing what she had seen? Hearing what she heard?

The pain in her face was numbed by some ointment that Fu had applied, so that was one less thing to bother her.

She'd been in the superhero business a long time now. She'd seen plenty of awful things. Most of them were fixed with a 'Miraculous Ladybug'.

But she couldn't bring that young man back.

He didn't deserve that. Even if he was a drug dealer, even if he was doing something he shouldn't, he didn't deserve that. And neither did his wife, who would probably have to give that life insurance money over for her own safety.

Life was so much easier when all she had to do worry about was her grades and her crush on Adrien. Even an akuma was nothing compared to hard crime.

Akumas could be fixed. Things could go back to normal. But this stuff was dirty and awful. She wondered if this is how it felt to be part of the police.

She wondered if Chat was wide awake too. Probably not, he hadn't seen Charles get shot after all.

"Tikki," Marinette spoke.

"Hmm?"

"What have other Ladybug's done, in times like this…when they knew they could have saved someone, but didn't?"

Tikki pondered the question. "Well, it was hard at first. But eventually, they just had to just used to it. Joan cried nights on end. Her time was the hardest I think."

"I…I don't want to 'get used to it'."

"You don't have to be callus. Just…know that it's something that comes with the job. Charles still would have died if you hadn't intervened. But you tried, and that's what matters, just like Chat said. You also got that man arrested, and justice will be served."

"Hopefully."

"Yes, hopefully."

Silence reigned for a little longer. "Tikki, I'm scared."

"Of Savauge?"

"Yeah…Paris is a big city with a lot of people and cameras…It would be pretty lucky if no one ever saw me."

"Even if they did, it wouldn't be likely that they'd identify you. I wouldn't worry, Marinette."

"…I can't help it."

Tikki floated down to lay against her skull and gently petted her hair. "I know. Humans are such anxious creatures."

"I bet you've seen much worse in your life, huh?"

"I've seen horrible things. But what happened tonight was traumatic and I don't expect you to just get over it. So I'll be here to comfort you in the meantime."

"Thanks Tikki."

"Now try to get some sleep. You have school tomorrow."

Marinette sighed. "I have school in a few hours…maybe I can get a nap in."


	5. Sighing

The next morning, Marinette awoke to a blaring alarm, again. Another day. But today there was no arguing with Tikki, no begging for a few more hours of sleep. She just got up, took her shower, got dressed and came downstairs for breakfast.

"Well, look at you, sunshine!" Sabine smiled at her. "Uh oh, what happened to your cheek?"

Marinette had practiced her lie and explained that she had fallen out of bed, and hit her cheek on the corner of her desk, and yes she dressed the wound all by her self, wasn't she very clever?

"I'm proud of you," Sabine said, as she wrapped up her breakfast. "You've taken this very well."

Well of course. She's very clumsy, she hurts herself all the time. Why would a scratch on the cheek be any different? "Thanks mom, love you!"

And she hurried off to school.

The moment she stepped on school property though, she was suddenly aware of wary glances in her direction.

That's right, everyone hated her.

"Oh shit." She said aloud.

"You forgot about that, didn't you?" Asked Tikki.

Marinette sighed, and continued on. "Yeah, but it's nothing compared to what I'm actually worried about. Honestly, I'd rather deal with this."

Tikki zipped back in her bag, as Marinette went inside and up the stairs.

Not a word of greeting. Not a friendly face. Not that she had been expecting one, of course.

In the classroom, Alya, Adrien, and Nino were all talking, and when she entered, they all gave her a surprised look.

"You came!" Adrien chirped.

"Yep."

Alya turned away, still disappointed.

Nino saw the exchange, shrugged and stood. He gathered his things and moved to sit next to Alya.

Marinette looked at the vacant seat. "Can I...do you mind if I sit here?"

"No, please, be my guest."

She sighed in relief. "Thank you, Adrien." She set her book bag down and relaxed into the seat. Who knew how long she'd have it before Lila concocted another lie and get her moved?

"What happened to your cheek?" He asked.

"Uh, I fell. I got my feet tangled in my sheets and hit my face in the corner of my desk. I'm such a klutz."

He gave her a look, one she was unfamiliar with, but then he just smiled and said, "I'm glad you're alright."

"Thanks."

His cheeks tinged a slight pink. "I actually have a gift for you."

Her eyebrows rose. "Really?"

"Yeah, I was going to bring it to you at lunch, but since you're here..." He dug around in his bag and pulled out a black portfolio, handing it to her. Inside were the most beautiful and high quality prints of various shoots. Some that were never even released to the public.

"Adrien…"

"You took down all those other photos, and I know you really do like fashion. So I put this together. We had some extra prints at home."

She flipped through them, her cheeks warm. Then she closed it and hugged the book to her chest. "Thank you so much! This means a lot to me."

He smiled in return. "Anything for my friend."

The 'f' word didn't even sting anymore, because it was such a sweet and thoughtful gift.

A few moments later, Lila came in. She looked at Marinette, and opened her mouth to speak, but thought better of it and went to her seat. Possibly preparing the next stage of her master plan.

Marinette and Adrien talked briefly, as the bell wrung and Miss Bustier came in.

She noted the changed seating arrangements, and then stated, "Marinette, I'd like a word with you after class."

Marinette sighed. "Yes ma'am."

—

True to her promise, Marinette stayed behind while her classmates went to Ms. Mendeleiev's class.

All except Adrien.

Miss Bustier looked between them, but didn't ask him to leave. "Marinette, Lila told me something pretty concerning yesterday..."

"If it's about me taking pictures of Adrien in the locker room, it's not true. She's lying."

"Marinette..." Miss Bustier said with a reprimanding tone.

"I'm serious! I didn't do it! She told the whole class that I did, and I had to get up in front of everyone and admit that I had a crush on Adrien! She told everyone first! Just to humiliate me!"

"I'm sure that's not her intention. But she should have told a teacher first."

Marinette groaned. "But I didn't even take any photos! She's lying!"

"It's true, Miss Bustier." Adrien added, bless his heart. "I even went through her phone. She had some pictures, but none of me changing."

Miss Bustier sighed. "Well, Lila also had witnesses to corroborate her story. I don't know who to believe."

"That's impossible! I didn't do it in the first place! And yesterday she said she was the only one that saw me! Her witnesses are lying!" Marinette was growing more and more frustrated as the conversation went on.

Miss Bustier rested a hand on Marinette's shoulder. "Marinette, you're a good kid. You always have done good and made sure there was justice for all. But this is it."

It felt like the floor opened up beneath her and swallowed her whole. "W-What?"

"You're becoming increasingly more absent from my class. And when you are here, you fall asleep half the time. Your grades are slipping, and Alya has had to fill in for a lot of your duties as President."

"That's—that's just because I'm—I'm always helping in the bakery! I have to wake up early to help and—"

"Marinette, I'm sorry." Miss Bustier smiled at her so sadly. "But if you're this busy, then having you as President isn't helping. We'll find someone else."

Her mouth felt dry, but her eyes welled up with tears and her vision blurred. "But…but I worked so hard…"

"I know you did."

Adrien tried to say something, anything to help, but there was nothing to say.

Marinette clenched her fists and then stormed out of the room without a word.

Adrien was quick to follow after. "Marinette…"

She stopped walking and turned to him. "This is stupid!"

"I agree."

"I don't need this right now! I'm dealing with a lot! It's not—It's totally unfair!" Tears escaped. "I didn't take any pictures…"

"I know you didn't, Marinette. I believe you."

"Are you sure? Because every time someone doesn't believe me, I start to think that you're only here for pity. That you're trying to keep me from becoming an akuma."

"I don't want you to become an akuma," he confirmed, "But I also believe you. You're our everyday Ladybug. I still believe that."

She rubbed under her eyes. "Thank you, Adrien. I'm sorry, if…if I'm causing you trouble."

He waved her off. "Don't even worry about it." He placed a warm hand on her back and steered her towards the next class. "Once she trips up, you'll have people lining up to apologize, and I'll be right next to you, smiling."

He opened the door for her, "After you."

She grinned. "Thank you, sir."

The second they stepped in the room, Mendeleiev was shouting. "Adrien! Marinette! So glad you decided to come to class! Where were you?"

"We were talking to Miss Bustier." Adrien supplied.

"Oh that's it? Do you have a pass then?"

Marinette paled. "Oh…no…I walked out before—"

"Detention. Both of you."

"**What!**" They both cried out indignantly.

"If you're late for class, at least don't lie about it!"

"I'm not lying!" Marinette cried out.

"Yeah, like you're not lying about taking photos of Adrien." Alix muttered under her breath.

"Miss Mendeleiev, Miss Bustier held us back after class, everyone heard it. Right?" Adrien asked the room.

No one came to their rescue.

Marinette was at her wits end. She balled up her fists and trembled. "Anybody else want to drop anything on me?!" She cried out. "Anyone else want to be my enemy!?"

_We're enemies now, Ladybug. You're going to regret that for the rest of your short life._

She suddenly felt nauseous. "I need to go…"

"You've missed enough of my classes. If you don't want to have another detention, sit down."

"But—"

Chloe snickered, "Well, do you want her akumatized in the room, or outside?"

Marinette wanted to cry. "I'm not going to become an akuma!" She shrieked.

"**Sit!**"

So she sat, in the front of the room, where Nino usually sat. He had taken her spot again, and that was fine with her. If Alya wasn't going to be helpful, then good riddance.

She glanced over to Adrien, who had his head in his hands and looked absolutely devastated. "You okay?" She whispered.

"I've never had detention before. My dad's going to kill me…or at least pull me out of school."

She exhaled, dejected. Today really was the worst day.

But it's not like it could get worse.

Right?

It came quite suddenly. A large boom from across the street. Debris and shrapnel flew across the street and crashed through the windows, ending class for the day.

"I would have thought Dupain-Cheng would have been our akuma." Chloe said, just loud enough to be heard as they all evacuated the building.

Marinette ignored everyone, the teachers, her old friends, and even Adrien, and ran.

An akuma is exactly what she needed right now. Something to fight, something to direct her anger on, and for Marinette to disappear for a few hours.

She snuck into the bathroom and Ladybug escaped through the window.

—

Chat Noir was on the scene nearly the same time she was, surveying the damage.

"This one's going to suck." He said, plainly, his eyes focused on the giant gaping hole in the building.

"Yeah. You haven't seen a glimpse of it yet, have you?"

"Nope, just heard it."

There was another boom a few blocks away, and they both turned towards it.

But someone else was already running towards the sound.

Ladybug groaned. "Alya!"

The reporter perked up immediately. "Ladybug! The Akuma is this way!"

"I know! You need to get out of here!"

"No way! I need to get footage for the blog!"

She had it with her. Ladybug clamped her hand down on Alya's shoulder and forced her to look at her. "Would you listen to me for once?!"

Alya shrank at the anger, completely blindsided by it. "Ladybug...?"

"Go home. This one is too dangerous. Just...please."

Alya swallowed, hurt, but understanding. "Yes ma'am. I'll go."

Ladybug simply nodded and continued on.

Chat caught up with her quickly. "You having a bad day too?"

"Like you wouldn't believe."

"Then let's end this quickly so we can get some ice cream and sulk."

She actually smiled. "That sounds awesome."

Around the corner, they found themselves to the back of the akuma. A gargantuan man, with long stringy hair hanging down. Instead of arms, he had long, thick chains that dragged. And at the end of the chains, two massive iron balls scraped against the ground in place of fists.

Each step he took punctured a hole in the street.

"Shit." Ladybug said under her breath.

The akuma stopped, hearing her speak and turned to her.

"Double shit."

It didn't say anything. No grand announcement or introduction, which was standard for most Akuma.

Instead, he simply grunted, and the left wrecking ball came barreling towards them.

Chat hooked her around the waist, and vaulted them away, leaving a crater in their wake.

"Okay, so he's fast too. Great." Ladybug huffed.

The next second, another wrecking ball came at them, prompting them to run farther away.

"Stay away from the buildings," Ladybug reprimanded. "They won't stop him."

"Right."

Ladybug dodged the next attack by slinging out her yo-yo around a flag pole, and then going over the akuma, careful to avoid the arch of his swing.

Ladybug landed next to the last crater, with Chat landing behind her shortly.

"I don't particularly like being a fly when the akuma has such a permanent swatter, My Lady."

"I agree."

The wrecking ball was coming back around, being swung around sideways.

"But I barely have a moment to run, let alone think!" She wrapped an arm around him, and flung them both in the air. The smaller the target, the better.

They watched from above as the akuma stomped his way towards them, the ground shaking with each step.

"So he can swing the wrecking balls really fast, but he can't run, or even walk quickly."

"I can cataclysm one of the chains, so that way we only have to worry about one instead of two."

"That's as good of a plan as any." With that, she released them to fall, just as the akuma was going to take a swing at the building they were attached to.

"Catacls—AUGH!" Mid shout, Chat was struck and went flying backwards and slammed into a building, hard.

"Chat!" Ladybug called out for him.

He laid on the ground, unmoving.

The akuma turned towards him, as the ground started shaking with each step. He wound up to bring his wrecking ball down on him.

"Don't you dare!" Ladybug sent out her yo-yo, wrapping around the wrecking ball, but it didn't stop it. Instead, she went flying, and collided with the building right next to her partner.

Her vision swam, as she tried to move. The akuma was coming their way, and she could feel the ground shaking. Turning to her side, she found her self alone, with no sign of Chat anywhere.

"Ng…Cha—?" She managed to choke out.

Turning back towards the akuma, she saw another figure there instead. They grabbed her arm, and began to drag her away.

"Where…?" She managed again, her head pounding.

"Shh…" said the figure, pulling her up short.

Ladybug would remember seeing her reflection in a pair of sunglasses, and a salty taste on her tongue, before she fell unconscious.


	6. Regretting

Warning: This chapter contains pubic humiliation. I will continue to mark the chapters that contain torture if you wish to skip them. Adrien gets his arm dislocated, but that's the worst of the violence. I would recommend reading this one for plot at least.

—

Ladybug woke up, thankfully still transformed, in a dark room. Her hands were bound behind her back and a gag was in her mouth. Her vision was blurry in the low light, and she couldn't quite parse two thoughts together. Did she have a concussion? She had hit her head, right? That's why it hurt so bad?

She tried to make some noise, but it just came out as a muffled moan.

A similar sound came from behind her, and she felt something move against her hand. Chat Noir, she supposed. She hoped. She was with him last…probably. At least, last she remembered.

A harsh light flicked on in her eyes, and she winced against it.

"Well well well, looks like you two finally decided to wake up. Good thing too, or you would have missed all the fun." It was a woman speaking, an Akuma? But they had just been fighting one! A huge, wrecking ball Akuma. Did Hawkmoth change tactics mid fight? Why couldn't she remember what happened?

"Don't worry, you take all the time you need to catch up. After all, GHB tends to wipe some memories."

GHB? Wasn't that a date rape drug? Had they been ambushed?

Another voice spoke. "We're all set ma'am."

"Wonderful, everyone in positions."

Ladybug's chair was turned around to face her partner. He looked just like her, bound and gagged. Confusion clouded his eyes, along with concern.

"Good evening Paris." The woman was speaking, her back to them. "Please excuse me for interrupting whatever pointless drivel you were consumed with. My name is Salo. I'm not an akuma, but you'll soon wish I was. I have succeeded where all the others have failed." She stepped back to show Ladybug and Chat Noir, bound and gagged.

Now Ladybug could get a good look at her. Red hair tied up in a bun, black leather suit, and reflective sunglasses. She looked physically fit, but there was no notable expression on her face. Slight wrinkles around her lips, so she was older. Maybe in her forties?

There was a hand gun at her hip.

"I have captured the so called heroes of Paris. In ten minutes, I will be revealing their identities on 'make ladybug suffer dot com.' Be sure to tune in, you won't want to miss it."

"Transmission ended." Called the man's voice again.

The light dimmed, and Ladybug could see a little better. The room was small and bare, save for several cameras, screens, lights and wires. The only furniture were the chairs they were currently occupying, a table behind the mysterious woman, and a table in the corner with computer monitors. There were no windows, and the only door was heavy iron. The walls, floor, and ceiling were all cement. In short, no escape.

"Starting to remember things yet?" This 'Salo' woman asked.

Ladybug just stared her down, anger in her eyes.

Salo and another man ripped off the duct tape over their mouths, and pulled out the gags.

"Who are you?" Was Ladybug's curt reply.

Salo smiled and prepared to answer, but she was interrupted by Chat's shout of, "Catacly—!" But the woman stuck her fingers down his throat, gagging him mid-word. He heaved, coughing up some fluid.

"Oh shush kitty kitty, we can't have you leaving now, can we? Now that we have so much planned." She nodded her head to the man standing nearby.

He was huge, just about the same size as the Gorilla, and he took hold of Chat's arm. With a yank and a sickening crack, Chat cried out in pain as his was arm was ripped out of socket.

"Chat!"

Salo smiled, "to answer your question, my name is not important, but you can call me Salo."

"What do you want?"

The woman grabbed her face, squeezing her cheeks hard. "What do I want? I want to destroy you, _Ladybug_." She said her name with venom. "You've had it too good for too long. You're the hero of Paris, the idol! You can do no wrong! But you've gotten cocky. Started working outside your job. Superheroes take down super villains. You should have stuck to those silly akumas." She let her face go, smiling with untapped anger. "But you didn't."

"Our job is to keep Paris safe, whether it's from akumas or petty thieves."

Salo slapped her cheek, right over her bullet wound, making white flash under her eyelids, and her ears ring.

"You're cute, Ladybug. Real cute. I thought you were fun. A Parisian idol, our very own Mickey Mouse. So did my Ed. You were bright and flashy, a wonderful distraction for the media. But you crossed a line, little insect. And now all of Paris, all of France, is going to watch you pay."

Ladybug swallowed, obviously nervous. There had to be a way out, but in the dark room and Chat's Cataclysm out of commission, things were beginning to look bleak.

"What did I do?"

The corner of Salo's mouth twitched. "Let me jog your memory."

The screen behind her lit up, and Nadja Chamack appeared with a news ticker underneath. "Don't be bemused, it's just the News. Ladybug and Chat Noir have done it again, with the capture of an elusive criminal. Top of the 'Most Wanted' lists in six countries, a Monsieur Edward Savauge. Ladybug and Chat Noir had an altercation with Savauge at the docks last night around 12am, resulting in the death of a young man identified as 25 year old Charles Exavier. Police arrived at the scene to find Savauge bound in Ladybug's yo-yo, several bodyguards unconscious, surrounded by illegal firearms, and the body of Exavier on the ground. Savauge was taken and charged with murder and illegal firearm possession. He has also been wanted for drug trafficking, illegal gambling, human trafficking, and 19 counts of murder. Edward Savauge was the boss of a Camorra crime syndicate. Ladybug and Chat Noir were unavailable for comment." The recording ended there, and the woman shut off the TV.

"He was my lover. A wonderfully powerful man...but because of you, he's in hot water. If he goes to prison, I'll never see him again...so you will never see your family, friends, or your beloved fans again."

Ladybug's eyes were blown wide, horrified. This was why she hadn't wanted anyone to find out their identities, in case someone went out for revenge.

"500,000 users are streaming the site, including three users at the TVi News Station." Another man stated from a computer in the corner.

"Excellent." Salo smiled. "Time?"

"T minus one minute."

"You hear that? One minute until I reveal your name to the whole world. I'll let you have that minute to escape. Go ahead, go."

Frantic, Ladybug wriggled against her bindings. Come on! She was supposed to be stronger in the suit. But pull as she did, she was only making her wrists hurt, and the ropes to tighten.

She glanced over to Chat to see what he was doing. His shoulder looked lumpy and unnatural. He was biting back tears as he tried to wriggle too, though one arm was not moving. She realized it was the arm with his ring.

"Time's up! Aw, you two _do _want to have fun! You stayed!"

Furious, Ladybug spit at the woman. "You won't get away with this!"

"Oh, but I already have." Salo tapped her on the nose. "You see, the Ladyblog really is an amazing resource! Every video of you two ever shot was on there. Theories and facts, all the information we needed was on there. I studied it carefully. All you had to do was show up for an akuma, and we took care of the rest. Though, I should probably thank that hulk, since he did the hard part for us. Seems like you're not so lucky after all."

Ladybug's lip trembled.

"We have over a million users online," spoke the man from the computer again.

"Then let's begin." Her voice was cold and merciless. "Let's start with Mr. Noir, shall we? Your ring, sir!" She reached for it.

"Cataclysm!" He shouted, finally activating his power. He couldn't move his arm, but it would give him a few minutes of protection.

"Oh you think you're so smug." Salo smirked. "But you see, there's more than one way to skin a cat." She snapped her fingers, and the large man standing by touched Chat's hand with a metal pole. The metal rusted and turned to dust. Chat's hand was useless once again.

She took hold of the ring between her fingers.

"Please," whispered Chat. "You don't have to do this."

"Of course I don't, pussy cat. But it's my great joy that I _get_ too." Slowly, deliberately, she pulled his ring off his finger, watching as his transformation fell away in a flurry of green light.

Ladybug looked in horror as her long time crush and good friend Adrien Agreste sat in front of her, still bound and in immense pain without his suit.

Salo leaned on his bad shoulder, making him cry out in pain. "Well well well. A famous model and a superhero! How intriguing! Adrien Agreste…I bet your father would pay a pretty penny to have you home safe and sound, don't you think?" She dragged her fingers over his cheek.

Adrien was in tears. Not outright sobbing, but a few drops rolling off his chin. Whether it was the pain from his shoulder, or facing the reality that his freedom had just literally been stripped away, he wasn't sure himself.

Salo scoffed. "What a baby." She smacked his face just hard enough to sting. Then she stood and walked over to Ladybug. "Your turn, missy."

Ladybug struggled, not willing to go without a fight. She thrashed in her chair, kicked her legs, and frantically shook her head, so Salo had put her into a choke hold. She fought for breath and cried out with a choking gasp.

The earrings were plucked from her ears and sad little Marinette Dupain-Cheng remained. Adrien stared at her, a gasp bursting from his lips.

She didn't dare look at him.

"And who the heck are you?" Salo snorted. "We lucked out with Mr. Whiskers, but who knew Ladybug was just a nobody?" She leaned in closer. "Oh wait, I recognize you…yeah, you're a friend of the Ladyblogger, in some of her videos. Mmmm….Marinette, right? Yeah. How sad! You'd think the person most dedicated to finding out Ladybug's identity would have seen her sitting in front of her! You must either be too pathetic in your real life, or totally unimportant to the Ladyblogger."

Marinette sat still and quiet, not willing to let the words of this vile woman get to her. She just stared at Adrien, apologizing with her eyes, and begging him not to hate her. He stared back with fear and desperation.

Marinette pushed her fear aside, and summoned Ladybug's courage. "Alright, you've taken our Miraculous, and now everyone knows who we are. Can we go now?"

Salo slapped her cheek and sent her sprawling on the floor, the chair pressing awkwardly on her arm. "Didn't you hear me? You're never getting out of here. You'll never see daylight again. I intend to keep you here and torture you over and over. One day, you won't even know your own name anymore, but you'll beg me for death!"

This couldn't be happening. There was just no way.

She was roughly yanked off the ground, the chair settling back on the floor.

"Let's see, first thing first is to get you into uniform."

_Uniform?_ Thought Marinette, with fear.

Her bindings were cut, and she was forced to her feet. She rubbed her wrists carefully. There were several men standing around, watching, plus Salo had a gun. She didn't know if it was loaded, but she wouldn't take that chance.

"Whatever you're thinking, don't." Said Salo. "Now strip."

Marinette was keenly aware of the camera pointed at her, and the spot light on her, forbidding any hiding. With trembling hands, she took off her jacket, purse, and shoes.

Salo crouched and picked up her purse. "Let's see, just as I thought." She took out her phone, looking at the screen. "18 missed calls? My my someone is worried about their baby." Then she dropped the phone and smashed it under her heel. "Not to worry. We'll let mommy know how much fun your having."

She then went over to Adrien and frisked him, finding his phone. "2 missed calls. Hmm, I wonder who's more loved?" She smashed his phone as well. The remnants of both were collected and tossed in a bucket of water, just to make sure all the circuitry was fried.

Salo gestured Marinette onward.

She then took off her shirt and pants, standing alone, trembling in her underwear.

"Well?" Said Salo. "The rest of it too."

So Marinette unhooked her bra and shimmied out of her panties, standing completely naked in front of all of Paris. And her crush.

Adrien wasn't looking at her, keeping his eyes politely on her toes.

"Oh what a gentleman!" Salo laughed, noticing. She grabbed his chin and forced him to look up. "But I know where you really want to look. You're in love with her, aren't you?"

Adrien couldn't help it, he glanced her up and down, and then met her eyes. "…I'm sorry."

"Did I say you could talk, pussy cat?"

He shook his head, immediately snapping to obedience.

"Aw, he already knows how to behave so well. This will be so fun!"

Marinette continued to stand there, trying in vain to cross her legs or wrap her arms around her chest. It was doing little good.

Salo gestured to someone in the room, and without warning, a bucket of cold water dropped over her head, soaking her through. "Ugh!" She yelped, in shock.

Next, Adrien was forced to his feet too, and also freed of his bindings, but his arm just hung limply at his side.

"He might need some help, Ladybug. So why don't you help him." Salo shoved her forward, as she tripped into his chest.

Any other day, she'd be blushing madly and apologizing. But right now, she just wanted to hug him and hide in his embrace.

"Tick tock, you two."

It became apparent that any movement caused Adrien pain, as she helped ease his arm out of his over shirt. His t-shirt followed, but with a lot more fumbling and wincing.

She had to undo his belt and unbutton his jeans, which was painfully awkward and uncomfortable for both of them. Especially with the snickers and wolf whistles from the shadows.

Then they were both naked, in front of Paris.

"Wow, the suit really holds everything in, doesn't it, Adrien?" Salo laughed, looking between his legs.

He was in too much pain to be embarrassed.

But just like with Marinette, a bucket of cold water drenched him. He tensed up, wincing all the while.

"Here," Salo spoke, dropping a folded cloth into Marinette's hands. "Your uniform."

Holding it up, she found it was just a hospital gown. And a short one at that.

She quickly put it on, tying it as tightly as she could in the back. As long as she didn't have to raise her hands, she would be covered.

"Now Mr. Whiskers." Salo gave her another gown, to help Adrien into.

She bunched up the sleeve to make it easier, and eased his hand into the sleeve, his other going in just fine. She pulled it up to drape over his shoulders and then stepped to go behind him.

"Uh uh uh…" Salo stopped her, "you can tie him from in front."

Marinette obeyed, reaching her arms around him and tying the strings tightly. She pressed against his chest, though she tried not too.

"My lady," he whispered oh so quietly. "It'll be alright."

She felt awful. She should be the one reassuring him. Wordlessly, she cupped his cheek and wiped his tears away.

The gown was short on him too, just barely keeping him covered.

Salo grabbed Marinette's arm and yanked her back. "Alright, that's enough. I've got some new jewelry for you, since I took your old ones."

Marinette's eyes widened. "Where did you put our miraculous? What did you do with them?"

Salo smiled, "Oh, you didn't notice? Why, they're right here."

There was a small safe on a table behind her. The lid was open, and Salo held it up to show the ring and earrings sitting dormant inside. Then she closed the lid and flipped the combination. "I don't worry showing you this. Because there's no way you'll be able get them. But I'd love to see you try."

Marinette clenched her fist, looking at the safe, the door, and the gun.

She had never felt so absolutely hopeless.

Salo picked something up from the table next to the safe, and came towards Marinette. "Alright bug, I'd stay still unless you want to get pinched."

She clamped on two wrist restraints, and then one to her neck, all connected with chains.

Then she did the same with Adrien, even clamping his bad arm.

"Now aren't you two just precious? All gussied up for your first day of camp! Smile for the camera! Let your parents know how much fun you're having!"

The camera swung in close to them, capturing their expressions of absolute humiliation and horror.

"I said, smile!" She pinched the underside of their arms, causing them both to wince, which they both tried to turn into a smile.

"Alright, now let's take you to your bunks. We have a really nice set up for our new campers. You'll just love it!"

They were both led from the room, chains rattling with each step.

Marinette paid attention to the direction of the hallways. Although, the walls were bare and grimy. It was unbelievably dark too.

Finally, they came to their 'cabin'. A room without a door, but two large metal ducts. The kind used in buildings for Air Conditioning, but they looked old and rusty. Crude doors had been sawed out of them, and chains welded to them.

"Take your pick." Salo giggled. "There's just enough room in there to sit."

Marinette took the one on the right, but Adrien just stood at the door.

"Well, go on." Salo pushed him forward.

Marinette watched with growing concern as each step he took was slow and shaky. He looked absolutely terrified. Finally, he took his place on the left, and turned to face the door.

The doors closed, but little slots opened in the middle, big enough to fit their wrists through.

"Arms up." Salo demanded.

Through the slot, their chains were removed, though the shackles remained. Then, the slot closed and several padlocks clicked into place outside.

"Get some sleep you two. Tomorrow we have a day chocked full of activities."

Several footsteps led away and then, silence.

Marinette grit her teeth. "Tikki can you—"

Tikki wasn't there. For the first time in three years, Tikki wasn't there. She was all alone.

Well, almost.

"Kitty?" She asked softly.

"I'm here." He answered, his voice broken.

"I...I'm going to figure a way out of this. I promise."

He didn't respond.

"Chat?"

"I'm...I'm sorry..." He was crying, and hyperventilating. "I…I don't like being locked up."

"Oh Kitty…"

"If only I had cataclysmed the wrecking ball, or—or arrived at the docks earlier—"

"Chat."

"I could have—Maybe we—"

"Adrien." She rested a hand on the cold metal of the cage. "This isn't your fault."

"But...I promised to protect you. And I failed."

"Don't do this to yourself. I need you right now, okay?"

He was quiet, and then finally agreed. "Okay."

"How's your arm?"

"I'm...getting used to it."

"Can you pop it back in?"

"I don't know how. I've never dislocated anything before."

"Me neither." She sighed. Slowly, and ever so carefully she sat on the ground, leaning against the metal walls. It was pitch black, she couldn't even see her own hand in front of her face. She reached forward, finding the door to the cage. The metal felt pretty thin, and if she was lucky, it would have some give. The door was several inches from the floor, leaving a gap large enough to reach her arm out. She grabbed hold of the edge, and trying to force it out, but she wasn't prepared for the sharp edge and cut herself.

She hissed in pain.

"Marinette?"

It was at that moment that she was struck with the realization that this was Adrien talking to her, and that he was Chat Noir, and that he knew who she was. Perhaps it was shock or adrenaline, but it didn't click until just this moment.

"Are you okay?" He asked, still sniffling.

"I just…yeah…be careful with the edges of the door, it's sharp."

"Yeah, I cut myself just sitting down. There's an edge along the wall."

"Oh…" She settled down then, not really knowing what to do.

Ladybug was out of ideas.

"My lady?"

"Y-Yeah?"

"Would...would you still think I was super cool even if I said I was scared?"

She managed a single laugh. "I'm…I'm terrified." She admitted. "Chat, we…we failed. Everyone knows who we are."

"Yeah…"

"My family…your dad…Alya and Nino…they all know. And they're all in danger…and th-there's nothing—" She choked out a sob. "There's nothing we can do."

Adrien didn't respond but she could hear him sniffling.

"I don't know…what are we going to do?" The last part was barely a whisper.

"Salo said she thought my dad might pay a hefty price to get me out. Money hasn't ever been an object to my father, so...I'm sure he'd pay your ransom too." There was a piece of doubt deep in his soul that wondered if he would. Gabriel Agreste was a good man. Sometimes.

"No." Marinette shook her head. "I can't allow that to happen. These people are dangerous. If your father gives them money, how many more people will die? What other crimes will they commit? We can't…no matter how scary it is…we can't let them win…"

It was a beat before Adrien agreed. "…yeah. I guess all our hard work goes away then."

She leaned her head back, the metal groaning as she did so.

"You know…" He spoke, taking a massive sigh. "We've spent the last three years saving Paris. I think…I think Paris can protect our loved ones for us." She could hear him moving, the metal groaning as he pushed against it. "Can you reach under the door, towards me?"

She scooted down too, laying on the ground on her side, and as she reached under the door, she found a warm hand, with strong fingers that quickly wrapped around her own.

"My lady….my beautiful lady…"

"Kitty cat…"

"We'll find a way out. Together."

"Partners?"

"Partners."


	7. Searching

This chapter contains nothing graphic.

—

_"Why can't you just listen to me for once?"_

It was startling hearing Ladybug say something so harsh. Sure, Alya was a little enthusiastic when it came to superheroes, but she never really felt 'in the way' before.

It came from a place of concern, she thought. Or maybe Ladybug was having a bad day.

Either way, the tone in her voice offered no room for argument and Alya was left with no choice but to go home.

An hour later, she still heard booms across Paris, and her journalistic integrity got the better of her.

Soon she, along with a begrudging Nino, were off to investigate what was taking so long.

The path of the Akuma was not hard to find, considering all the damage to the roads. Occasionally, there was a building with a hole in it, but mostly just the roads.

"I hope they're okay." Nino said, staring at a crater in the cement.

"They're fine. They're superheroes after all!"

Then Alya's phone rang, with Sabine Cheng on the ID. "Hi mom," Alya greeted casually.

_"Hi honey, you haven't happened to have seen Marinette, have you? I know you two aren't...really getting along right now." _

Alya rolled her eyes. She and Marinette could be just fine if she just admitted she had a problem and went too far. "I wouldn't worry about it too much, we'll be okay. Marinette hasn't come home?"

_"No! It's been nearly two hours since the Akuma came out and she hasn't checked in! I haven't gotten a text or anything! I tried calling her, but it's going straight to voicemail. I even tried to track her phone, but I can't find her. So she's somewhere out of service…"_

"That's odd..."

"What's up?" Asked Nino, helpfully.

"Marinette didn't come home."

"Huh..."

"Nino and I are out trying to get the scoop on the Akuma. If I see any sign of her, I'll let you know."

_"Thank you, Alya!"_

"Oh!" Alya shouted right before Sabine could hang up. "Hold on, did you call the school? I think Marinette had detention with Miss Mendeleiev. She might be serving it somewhere else."

_"Detention? What for?"_

"She…she was talking to Miss Bustier, and then came to class without a pass." Alya said this with guilt in her chest. She should have said something. No matter how she felt about her friend. She should have stuck up for her when she was telling the truth.

_I'm not lying!_

_"Oh my…well, I'll try Miss Mendeleiev's cell. Thank you Alya."_

"We'll still keep our eyes out. Let me know if you find her!" And with that, she ended the call. But she just stared at the phone in worry.

"Now you're worried about Marinette?" Nino asked. It came out harsher than he meant, but it was an honest question.

"Of course, she's my best friend."

Nino crossed his arms. "Look, I know that's what you want to believe, but—"

"But what, Nino? You heard what Lila said! She was caught red handed taking dirty pictures of him!"

"Adrien said Lila is lying."

"He wouldn't know! He doesn't know her like I do!"

He gave her a look. "Okay, step back for a second. Do you think Marinette is really the kind of person to do this?"

"She stole his phone, Nino."

"So? That's not the same thing. Adrien said Lila lied about knowing Ladybug."

"No way! Lila does know Ladybug! They're on a first name basis!"

"So are you."

"That's different!" She got closer and whispered conspiratorially, "she says she knows Ladybug's identity."

His eye brows rose. "And you believe her?"

"Of course!"

"Why?"

Alya opened her mouth, and then shut it. Why indeed? Because she wanted to? Because it was easy? She bristled and shot back, "who's side are you on, anyway? I thought Adrien was your best friend?"

"He is," Nino said easily. "And I'm on his side. And he's on Marinette's side."

Alya scoffed, "he's just being nice! Or naïve! I don't know! He doesn't know how dangerous she is!"

Nino gave her a look of question. "Marinette? Dangerous?"

"He doesn't know her like I do. She can be...intense."

"I mean...I'm pretty sure he knows, Alya. She told everyone what she's done."

"Well, Lila can't be lying!"

"Why not?"

"Because that means I totally disregarded my integrity as a journalist and listened to some nobody, simultaneously betraying my hero and my best friend…More so my best friend. Thus, making me a terrible person, a shitty reporter, and a useless friend."

"At least you admitted it."

"Ugh!" She buried her face in her hands. "Why would you say that? You're not helping!"

"I think I am. That's what couples do, right? Help each other become better people?"

"Nino…if she ran away or worse…it'll be my fault. And she'll never know how sorry I am!"

"Well, you know Marinette, better than anybody. If anyone can find her, it's you. And you know what it takes to apologize."

Alya frowned, "still…I'm confused about Lila."

"What do you mean?"

"She's always been so nice. I don't understand why she would be lying."

"She could be telling the truth, or think she is and it wasn't Marinette. It could be a misunderstanding."

"Maybe…" Alya frowned, in thought. "I don't like this. I don't even care about the akuma anymore, let's go find Marinette."

"Now that is something I don't mind investigating."

—

They stopped at Kim's first, because he was the closest at the time.

"Kim!" Alya shouted, while pounding on the wood. "Open up! We have an emergency!"

"Hold your horses!" He shouted from inside. "I'm coming!" A few seconds passed, before he opened the door, just slightly. "The whole city is in an emergency! Didn't you see the akuma?!"

"Of course I did!" She crossed her arms, pissed at the notion. She had been the first to post about it, after all. "But we have bigger problems! Marinette's missing!"

He scoffed. "She's probably just ignoring you. Ignoring all of us. I…don't really blame her."

"No, she hasn't been home either. Her mom can't get ahold of her."

"Wait wait," he opened the door fully. "She didn't go home?"

"No!"

He frowned. "Look, I don't really feel good about the whole naked Agreste photo thing, but Marinette is still my friend. So I'm going to put that aside. Just let me grab my shoes."

It went like that from house to house of all their classmates. The second that Alya mentioned she was missing, they all got over their grudge. Mostly.

—

Sabine was sick with worry. It had been six hours since Marinette had gone missing and she still hadn't come home. Tom came in, panting from his run. "Is she back? Have you heard anything?"

"No, nothing!" She cried. "Alya and Nino went to check around school and at their classmate's houses. But there's been no word!"

Her phone dinged, a message from Alya. "_We've asked everyone, even Chloe. No one saw her since the Akuma attack. Any word from the police?_ "

Sabine typed back. "_No, not one bit. They said they can't help with someone over the age of sixteen unless they've been missing for 24 hours! But they said they'll let us know if they find anything. But that sounded like…if they find her body._"

_"That's bullcrap. We're on our way back. Maybe we can brainstorm a place that we haven't checked yet."_

_"Did you check with Adrien too?"_

_"We rang the bell and texted him, but no answer. He's the only one we can't get ahold of. But that's not that unusual."_

_"I'll try calling Gabriel's secretary."_

_"Okay, we're on our way back."_

Sabine then went to her contacts and scrolled through the list. Then she dialed Nathalie Sancouer.

"_Hello, Who is this?_"

"Hi there, this is Sabine Cheng. My daughter Marinette is in Adrien's class."

"_Ah, yes. Mrs. Cheng. How can I help you?_"

"Well, we're panicking over here. Marinette never came home after that Akuma appeared and we can't find her anywhere. No one has seen her. We were wondering if Adrien did?"

Nathalie was quiet on the other line, before she said, "_can you hold on for a moment?_"

"Of course."

Tom turned on the tv, where Nadja was covering the Akuma, who had disappeared two hours ago, but the damage had remained. There had been a brief appearance of Ladybug and Chat Noir, but no word of them since.

"Any luck?" He asked.

"She has me on hold."

Then, there was a thundering of footsteps up the stairs before Alya, Nino, and the rest of the class, excluding Chloe and Sabrina, all came in the room.

"Anything?" Asked Alya, panting.

"I'm talking to Mr. Agreste's secretary right now. I think she's asking Adrien."

"_Mrs. Cheng?_" Nathalie asked over the phone.

"Yes, I'm here!"

"_Are you home right now?_"

"Yes?"

"_And you live at the bakery by the school, correct?_"

"Yes, that's right."

"_Mr. Agreste and I will be over shortly. He would like to discuss this in person._" That was surprising. Mr. Agreste? Here?

"Ah, okay. Yes, we'll see you soon then. The door is unlocked, just come up."

"_We'll there shortly_."

Sabine hung up, staring at the phone.

"Well?" Asked Alya, "did Adrien say anything?"

"No...Gabriel is on his way over. He wants to talk to us in person."

Nino winced, "that can't be good."

"You don't think..." began Alix, "that they ran away together?"

This was waved off with a snort from Kim. "Yeah right, after that whole photo fiasco, I think he'd try to stay as far away as possible."

"You must be blind if you didn't notice the way Adrien was treating her. If he hasn't dropped her by now, I doubt he will."

Lila sniffed. "Oh, this is all my fault. I just wanted Adrien to know what I saw, and I knew it would be best to get her friends involved, I just didn't realize she would take it so badly."

Alix scoffed. "Well, she got caught and called out. How did you think she would react?"

"I thought, maybe she'd see the error of her ways, and that we'd all be friends."

Alya scrunched up her nose. Something didn't feel right about this situation. Glancing over at Tom and Sabine, it was visible that they were put off by the topic.

"Did you tell Mr. Agreste?" Mylene asked. "You know how protective he is of Adrien."

"I did. I thought he deserved to know. He thanked me and said he was considering a restraining order. That's not what I intended, but maybe it's for the best." She glanced at Tom and Sabine. "Do…do you know what Marinette did?"

Sabine frowned, hard. "Yes, I know all about the rumor."

"It's not a rumor, Mrs. Cheng. I saw her for real—"

"Let me stop you, sweetheart." Sabine held up a hand. "Right now, we are worried about Marinette's safety. I don't want to hear about your petty drama."

"I understand, but please, you need to know—"

"I know." Sabine snapped, angrily. It wasn't often that she got angry, but when her daughter's safety and well being were attacked, then she turned into mama bear. "I know what you think you saw, or what you're insisting you saw. But if you're trying to tell me that my daughter, my flesh and blood that I have raised to be a wonderful woman being, is a liar and a creep, then you have another thing coming. I'm tired, and I'm worried sick. Don't test me."

Lila stared at the woman in shock, and then held her arm, sheepishly. "I was just trying to do the right thing for Marinette."

"Just drop it, Lila." Alix drawled. "We've all heard the story, and no one cares anymore."

"Let's all just take a deep breath." Alya insisted. "Mr. Agreste will be here at any minute. He might have snagged Marinette for some fashion thing and forgot to tell anyone, right?"

While that was the best case scenario, it was highly unlikely.

Nadja was back on the screen, near the Arc De Triomphe. "_This was the last location the Akuma was spotted, and the damage to the structure still remains. The Akuma spawned at the renovation site of Notre Dame, where witnesses say a construction worker was akumatized after accidentally collapsing a scaffolding. No casualties have been reported, luckily. According to the Ladyblog, the official new source for all things Ladybug, Ladybug and Chat Noir were spotted on their way to intercept the akuma, though reporter Alya Cesaire was asked to leave by Ladybug, for her own safety. No one else has seen or heard from the heroes since. Which begs the question: _

_"Has Hawkmoth finally won?_"

"No," said Alya easily. "There's no way. We would have known."

"Lila!" Kim exclaimed. "You know Ladybug personally! Can't you call her? See what's going on!"

Lila shyly shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know if that's a good idea. What if she's in the middle of a fight? What if I distract her?"

There was then a knock at the door.

Sabine swiftly answered it, to find Gabriel, Nathalie, and the Gorilla on the other side. "Mr. Agreste, thank you for coming. Please come in." She gestured inside.

The rest of the classmates were quiet, half watching the TV and half watching Gabriel.

"I'm sorry, we're a little crowded here. The kids just came back from their search party."

"Any word?" Gabriel asked.

Alya spoke up. "Nothing. We checked the school, the library, everyone's house, even Chloe's. Officer Raincomprix is out looking in the parks. We were just waiting to hear back from Adrien."

Gabriel looked at the assembled students, deflating slightly. "Adrien…hasn't been home yet. We can't find him either. He texted his driver at noon, around the time the akuma surfaced and said he was going somewhere safe to hide. That was the last we heard from him."

"Where's 'somewhere safe'?" Sabine asked.

Gabriel looked at the Gorilla, who simply shook his head. "I assumed it was with a friend. Perhaps Mr. Lahiffe or Miss Bourgeois. Though I was not made aware of the problem until a few hours too late. I was…busy." He frowned. "Adrien made me aware of classroom drama that was taking place. When you called, I immediately deduced that they would be together. At least, that is my hope."

"When was the last time anyone saw either of them?" Alya asked the room.

Nino answered. "When that akuma attacked, we all evacuated the building. Me and Adrien were together, but I saw him dart into the locker room. I assumed he was just grabbing something. Then I waited for a while outside, and then I saw you, Alya, coming back from chasing the akuma."

"So Adrien never came out of the locker room?" Gabriel asked.

"Not while I was waiting for him, which was like, 15 minutes? We checked the whole school though. No one's there."

"Okay, anyone see him in the locker room?" Alya continued.

No one spoke up.

"What about Marinette?" Sabine asked.

"She was the first one out the door when the akuma appeared." Nathaniel stated. "She took off pretty quickly."

"So the school," said Gabriel, "that was the last place both of them were seen."

"No one saw them anywhere else?" Alya asked.

Again, silence.

"This doesn't make sense. We checked everywhere they go. Where else could they have gone? What could have happened?"

"Maybe she killed herself." Alix stated, rather harshly.

Sabine gasped in horror.

Kim elbowed Alix. "Dude, shut up. Marinette wouldn't do that. Even if she was having a bad day."

Rose spoke up, "did you make sure to check with other family members? Her grandma?"

"I've called everyone in our address book. No one has seen her." Sabine offered, starting to cry.

Tom wrapped an arm around his wife. "Oh, my little honey bun. It'll be alright, we'll find them."

"Unfortunately," said Gabriel, "I believe we've exhausted our resources here. I'll call my Private Investigator and get a more thorough search started."

Just as he took out his phone, the TV cut to static and the picture fuzzed out. Max noticed it first, and went to fix it.

A woman in reflective sunglasses appeared on the screen. "_Good evening Paris_." She said.

The volume was just loud enough to get everyone's attention.

"_Please excuse me for interrupting whatever pointless drivel you were consumed with. My name is Salo. I'm not an akuma, but you'll soon wish I was. I have succeeded where all the others have failed._" She stepped back to show Ladybug and Chat Noir, bound and gagged.


	8. Watching

Warning: This chapter is a bit of a recap of chapter six, but in the perspective of those watching the stream. Same amount of public humiliation.

—

"_Please excuse me for interrupting whatever pointless drivel you were consumed with. My name is Salo. I'm not an akuma, but you'll soon wish I was. I have succeeded where all the others have failed._" She stepped back to show Ladybug and Chat Noir, bound and gagged.

Gabriel was the first to react, his eyes wide with horror as he blindly stumbled towards the TV. Everyone else had similar reactions and levels of horror.

"_I have captured the so called heroes of Paris. In ten minutes, I will be revealing their identities on 'make ladybug suffer dot com.' Be sure to tune in, you won't want to miss it._" Her mouth quirked up in a malicious smile, and the picture fuzzed out again.

"I need to get to a computer—" Gabriel panicked.

But Max was already on it, plugging Markov into the screen. Soon, a website came up. A black background, with red text. But the majority of it was filled with various video streams. All the same room, in different angles, but the main large video showed Ladybug and Chat Noir from the side, still bound. Chat's face had tears streaming down it.

Sabine turned up the volume. Yes, she should have been focused on finding her daughter, but at that moment a very harrowing feeling settled on the room.

Somehow, these events weren't a consequence.

"_You hear that? One minute until I reveal your name to the whole world. I'll let you have that minute to escape. Go ahead, go_."

They were both fighting, frantic to get free. It was like watching a wild animal caught in a trap.

"_Time's up! Aw, you two _do_ want to have fun! You stayed!_"

Furious, Ladybug spit at the woman. "_You won't get away with this!_"

"_Oh, but I already have._" Salo tapped her on the nose. "_You see, the Ladyblog really is an amazing resource! Every video of you two ever shot was on there. Theories and facts, all the information we needed was on there. I studied it carefully. All you had to do was show up for an akuma, and we took care of the rest. Though, I should probably thank that hulk, since he did the hard part for us. Seems like you're not so lucky after all_."

Alya felt sick.

"_Then let's begin_…_Let's start with Mr. Noir, shall we? Your ring, sir!_" She reached for it.

"_Cataclysm!_" He shouted.  
"_Oh you think you're so smug. But you see, there's more than one way to skin a cat_." She snapped her fingers, and the large man standing by touched Chat's hand with a metal pole. The metal rusted and turned to dust. Chat's hand was useless once again.

The assembled watched as she took hold of the ring. A few words were exchanged, in what sounded like begging from Chat. Then there was a flash of green light.

"Oh god…" Gabriel whispered, falling to his knees. "Adrien…"

Salo leaned on his bad shoulder, making him cry out in pain. "_Well well well. A famous model and a superhero! How intriguing! Adrien Agreste…I bet your father would pay a pretty penny to have you home safe and sound, don't you think?_" She dragged her fingers over his cheek.

What was left of Gabriel's heart broke. Seeing his son like that, in so much pain. He cried out as the woman leaned on his arm. His shoulder looked misshapen and limp.

Salo scoffed. "_What a baby._" She smacked his face, then she stood and walked over to Ladybug. "_Your turn, missy_."

Ladybug didn't go down without a fight, thrashing and kicking, anything she could do to fight. But with strong headlock, she didn't get the chance, and in a moment, there was a flash of pink.

Sabine started crying before her brain fully processed what she was seeing. "…Marinette?"

Gabriel covered his mouth with his hand. "Oh no…no no no…"

"_And who the heck are you?_" Salo snorted. "_We lucked out with Mr. Whiskers, but who knew Ladybug was just a nobody?_" She leaned in closer. "_Oh wait, I recognize you…yeah, you're a friend of the Ladyblogger, in some of her videos. Mmmm….Marinette, right? Yeah. How sad! You'd think the person most dedicated to finding out Ladybug's identity would have seen her sitting in front of her! You must either be too pathetic in your real life, or totally unimportant to the Ladyblogger._"

Alya was frozen to the spot, much like everyone else, but she trembled in every limb. Half sorrow, half rage.

Marinette looked up at the woman. "_Alright, you've taken our Miraculous, and now everyone knows who we are. Can we go now?_"

Salo slapped her cheek and sent her sprawling on the floor. "_Didn't you hear me? You're never getting out of here. You'll never see daylight again. I intend to keep you here and torture you over and over. One day, you won't even know your own name anymore, but you'll beg me for death_!"

"We have to call the police." Tom said, "Or the army! Or—or—!" He didn't know what to do. No one did. For so long, everyone was reliant on Ladybug and Chat Noir to save the day.

Who was supposed to save them?

Gabriel didn't move. He couldn't bare to miss a detail.

"_Let's see, first thing first is to get you into uniform._"

Marinette was freed from her bindings and forced to her feet. She rubbed her wrists and looked around.

"_Whatever you're thinking, don't_." Said Salo. "_Now strip_."

She took off her shoes, purse and jacket.

Salo crouched and picked up her purse. "_Let's see, just as I thought_…_18 missed calls? My my someone is worried about their baby_." Then she dropped the phone and smashed it under her heel. "_Not to worry. We'll let mommy know how much fun you're having._"

Sabine sobbed.

She then went over to Adrien and frisked him, finding his phone. "_2 missed calls. Hmm, I wonder who's more loved?_" She smashed his phone as well. The remnants of both were collected and tossed in a bucket of water, just to make sure all the circuitry was fried.

"I tried to track her, earlier…but she was transformed and her phone was gone, and—and..."

Tom hushed her gently.

Salo gestured Marinette onward.

She then took off her shirt and pants, standing alone, trembling in her underwear.

"_Well?_" Said Salo. "_The rest of it too._"

So Marinette unhooked her bra and shimmied out of her panties, standing completely naked in front of all of Paris.

The boys in the room tried to look away from the screen, but they also didn't want to miss any key details.

"_Oh what a gentleman_!" They heard the woman laugh. "_But I know where you really want to look. You're in love with her, aren't you?_"

Adrien whispered out, "_…I'm sorry._"

"_Did I say you could talk, pussy cat?_…_Aw, he already knows how to behave so well. This will be so fun!_"

The girls winced as Marinette was drenched with a bucket of water, crying out in shock.

Adrien was forced to his feet, his arm hanging limply at his side.

"That looks dislocated," said Kim, trying to be helpful.

"_He might need some help, Ladybug. So why don't you help him_." Salo shoved her forward, as she tripped into his chest.

Marinette stood there awkwardly for a moment, her shoulders hunched.

"_Tick tock, you two._"

She slowly helped him undress, as he hissed and winced with each movement. As she got lower, there was snickering and wolf whistles from their captors.

Then they were both naked, in front of Paris.

"_Wow, the suit really holds everything in, doesn't it, Adrien?_" Salo laughed, looking between his legs.

He didn't even look like he cared about it. He just held his arm, his face scrunched up in pain.

"_Here_," Salo spoke, dropping a folded cloth into Marinette's hands. "_Your uniform_."

It was just a short hospital gown, but at least it was something.

Salo gave another one to Marinette for Adrien, and she helped him dress, awkwardly having to reach around to tie the strings in the back.

When she was done, she cupped his cheek, a gesture that did not go unnoticed by the group.

Salo grabbed Marinette's arm and yanked her back. "_Alright, that's enough. I've got some new jewelry for you, since I took your old ones_."

"_Where did you put our miraculous? What did you do with them?_"

Salo smiled, "_Oh, you didn't notice? Why, they're right here_."

She walked off screen, and the camera didn't move, only continued to show Marinette's furious expression. "_I don't worry showing you this. Because there's no way you'll be able get them. But I'd love to see you try._"

Salo picked something up from the table next to the safe, and came towards Marinette. "_Alright bug, I'd stay still unless you want to get pinched." _

She clamped on two wrist restraints, and then one to her neck, all connected with chains.

Then she did the same with Adrien, even clamping his bad arm.

"_Now aren't you two just precious? All gussied up for your first day of camp! Smile for the camera! Let your parents know how much fun you're having!_"

The camera swung in close to them, capturing their expressions of absolute humiliation and horror.

"_I said, smile!_" They both winced in pain, but morphed it into a pained smile.

"_Alright, now let's take you to your bunks. We have a really nice set up for our new campers. You'll just love it!_"

Then the video went black. A message appeared, saying, "_The next stream will be tomorrow morning at 6am. It would be best watch on an empty stomach_."

Alya was shaking with rage. At herself, at her classmates, at this 'Salo' woman, but not at Marinette or Adrien.

Never at them.

She swiveled her head around, looking for a target to unleash her fury on, and she found it in a very pale Lila. "You liar!" She screamed as she leapt. Alya tackled Lila to the floor, her fists flying without hesitation.

She only got a few licks in before Ivan and Kim grabbed her by the arms and yanked her to her feet. "We trusted you! _I_ trusted you!"

Lila held her bleeding nose, desperate to not be made a villain. "Alya please…I know you're upset. Everyone is…but that's no reason to be mad at me."

"Shut up! _Shut up!_ You're a liar! Just like Marinette said! I never should have believed you! Ladybug would never—My Ladybug would never take unsolicited photos! She'd never lie about this!" She was bawling her eyes out, and Kim and Ivan were the only things keeping her from collapsing on the floor. "You said you knew! You knew who Ladybug was! That you were best friends with her!"

"I thought I was!" Lila teared up, "she said she was someone else, most likely to protect me!"

"Stop lying!" Alya screamed. "Marinette hated you! And the only other person Marinette ever hated, was Hawkmoth! She doesn't even hate Chloe! Now, because of you, she's suffering! Adrien's suffering! Ladybug and Chat Noir—it's over! And it's all your fault!"

"I had nothing to do with this!" Lila stated vehemently.

"Why should I believe you?" Alya snarled. "Why should any of us believe you?"

Lila balled up her fists. "Because—Because all I wanted was to discredit her! Like she was trying to do to me!"

Nino wrapped his arm around Alya's shoulders, prompting Kim and Ivan to let go. He asked, "so how much of that photo story was a lie?"

Lila exhaled, her nostrils flaring. "All of it, okay? Marinette knew that I was lying, and kept trying to get everyone else to notice. But I warned her to knock it off. But she wouldn't. She just kept on antagonizing me. All I wanted was to make friends and tell people what they wanted to hear, but she wouldn't let me!"

Alix crossed her arms and spat, "Are you seriously trying to blame Marinette for this? Man, we all should have listened to her."

While this argument was going on, Gabriel remained frozen in place, staring at the screen with tears in his eyes. A thousand thoughts rolled through his head, ideas, revelations, plans, too many things to parse at once.

"Sir?" Asked Nathalie, crouching by his side and touching his arm.

She grounded him slightly, as he took in the room around him. Tom was embracing his wife as she wailed. He didn't blame her at all.

The children were fighting, pointing fingers and blaming each other.

Chaos.

His brooch burned on his chest at all the unbearably hot rage. Not just from the room, but Paris in general. The city was on fire with righteous anger, sadness, and hopelessness.

His fingers curled into fists, his resolve strengthening. He thrived in chaos. Not just as Hawkmoth, but as Gabriel as well. The man who built a fashion empire on his own. A man who didn't allow himself to crumble in the face of grief.

He didn't then, and he wouldn't now.

Of course, his first priority was to save Adrien, but the consequences of what just occurred were not lost on him. After all, he had a secret identity of his own. If he wanted to save the children, he had to keep himself safe.

"That's enough." He spoke just loud enough to catch their attention, but not enough to shout.

"Oh Mr. Agreste, you understand don't you? After all, I only wanted to do what was best for Adrien."

He met Lila's eyes, his own cold and steely. "You lied to my face. I refuse to be involved in petty high school squabbles. I have real, visceral problems to deal with, and you will gain no sympathy from me for your fabricated delusions. I suggest you leave."

"But—"

"Now. And in case it wasn't clear, I rescind that invitation into my home."

Now, faced with real, true defeat, Lila had no choice but to save face and walk, sniveling with her crocodile tears all the while. No one gave her a second glance.

With that problem out of the way, Gabriel collected himself a little more. "Mr. Dupain, Mrs. Cheng."

Tom and Sabine looked at him, faces drained of hope.

"Ladybug and Chat Noir's identities have been compromised. We are no longer safe in this house. I suggest you stay with me until further notice, since I have extensive security measures. Miss Cesaire, and Mr. Lahiffe, that goes for you too. Since a simple glance over social media would reveal how close you are to them."

"What do you mean, we're no longer safe?"

"Our children are heroes, and heroes have plenty of enemies, as we can see with this woman." He gestured to the TV. "No doubt, they would be after us for revenge soon enough. If we want to save Marinette and Adrien, we have to stay safe while we figure out how to do that."

"Yes, of course!" Sabine collected herself, wiping her eyes. "I'm so glad you thought of that! I—I can barely process what I just saw."

"I can assure you, I am still in shock too." He swallowed hard, looking to the classmates. "Who's the fastest runner here?"

Both Alix and Kim raised their hands.

"Perfect, go together." He took a key out of his wallet, and handed it to Kim. "The passcode for the gate is '7539'. There's a shed in the back side of the lot. In the cupboard, there's a roll of duct tape hanging on a nail. The spare key to the kitchen door is behind it. I want you to go inside, and into my office. Next to my computer, there's a short table with a keyhole. This is the manual key. Switch it to on, and it will activate the self defense system, effectively barricading all windows. The sooner we get the system on, the sooner we prevent anyone coming inside."

"What about you, Mr. Agreste?"

"I have an override code. We'll be fine. Now go, and don't let anyone in the house!"

"**_Yes sir!_**" They both shouted, before running out of the room.

"You two," Gabriel pointed at Alya and Nino. "Go through Marinette's belongings as quickly as you can. Anything that can be used as blackmail or has sentimental value needs to get packed up. Same thing for you, Mrs. Cheng, Mr. Dupain. Anything that could be used as leverage against them needs to come with us to the house. Any documents, computers, phones, family albums, any information about you."

The students gathered got to work, helping them pack up most of their belongings. They'd have to make a few trips, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

Nino set Marinette's computer tower on the floor at the base of the stairs. "Her monitor is too big, but this should be fine."

Alya set down the duffle bag. "I have her sketchbooks, old diaries, and plenty of clothes for her to wear when we rescue her. I also emptied her filing cabinet. I don't know what all was in there, but I'd rather not leave her social security card out."

Gorilla took the items downstairs.

"Alright, thank you all for your hard work," Gabriel said to the assembled students. "But I think it's in everyone's best interest if you all go home. If any reporters approach you to get more information about either of them, be vague. Pretend that you don't them for your own safety."

The students all looked at each other, feeling hesitant.

Gabriel's voice was demanding and firm, "The temptation to do something on your own to help will be strong, but please, leave this to us now. Understand?"

There was a murmuring of voices before they trickled out the door, one by one.

Then Alya and Nino, Tom and Sabine, Gabriel, Nathalie, and the Gorilla remained.

"You two should go home and pack up your bags. Brief your parents on what's happening. If they need to, they can call me." He held a hand out, asking for their phones, which he entered his number into. "Go together, and do not separate. My bodyguard will pick you up once you are ready. Understood?"

"**Yes sir.**"

He nodded once, and looked to Tom and Sabine. "There's not much else we can do tonight. Let's go."

They loaded up what they could in the car, and then put the house on lock down. Then they were off.

Sabine sat in the middle, sandwiched between her husband and Gabriel, with an overnight bag of her most bare essentials on her lap.. "I—I can't thank you enough, for watching out for us like this."

"You're worrying about enough right now, Mrs. Cheng. You don't need to worry about yourself too."

"Sabine. Please just call me Sabine."

"And call me Tom. If your son is…is Chat Noir. I have a feeling we'll be seeing a lot of each other in the future."

Gabriel cracked a minute smile. "Tom, Sabine, I agree. Though I wish we could come to this…friendship in a different way."

Sabine raised a hand to wipe at her cheeks, but Gabriel held out a handkerchief for her to use instead. "I just can't believe…the last few years, my Marinette…she's been saving the city. With Adrien. They…they just took down that drug lord the other night! That must be why she had that cut on her cheek!"

"And why this woman is involved now." Finished Gabriel.

"So what _are_ we going to do?" Asked Tom. "We know nothing about these people."

"No, not yet we don't. But they're broadcasting plenty to the public. They will make a mistake. And as much as we think of Adrien and Marinette as children, they are superheroes. Ladybug comes up with solutions in every situation. They aren't completely helpless."

"But…without the Miraculous…" Sabine nearly whispered.

Gabriel was trying to be optimistic for their sake, but he really had nothing to say to that. He took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, forcing himself to keep from crying.

It was more than likely that he'd never see his son again. And if by some miracle he did, Adrien would never be the same.

They arrived at the mansion, a crowd of reporters in front of the gate. They parted at the sight of the car, allowing them to pull in.

"Damn it, the paparazzi never rests. I suggest you cover your faces, to hide the fact that you're staying with me."

The car pulled up to the gate, and Gabriel stepped out to enter the code, being followed by his bodyguard.

"M. Agreste, did you have knowledge that your son is Chat Noir?"

"Do you have any more information about Ladybug's identity?"

"Have you been in contact with her parents?"

"What are you going to do to save your son?"

Gabriel was usually very good about ignoring the press. Or sometimes just giving vague enough answers to satisfy, but he had no patience for it today. "I didn't know that Adrien was Chat Noir. I'm dealing with a lot right now, and I would like you all to leave. Please just leave…"

The reporters mostly backed off, standing back to give him some room. He entered the override code, opening the gate just enough for the car to go through. He drove in himself, his bodyguard keeping everyone back outside the gate.

Reporters continued to shout questions as Sabine and Tom got out of the car, keeping their faces forward and away from any cameras.

Finally inside, the voices of the reporters were muted. Gabriel glanced out the window, his eyes narrowed in anger. "We'll have to go back for your other items later, once things calm down."

Nathalie gestured them upstairs. "I will show you to the guest room. You can make yourselves at home."

Gabriel watched them go, and then went to his office.

—

Hawkmoth emerged in the large room, butterflies fluttering all around at his presence. The akuma that had been rampaging around the city was now sullenly flapping around in his cane. He had called it back that minute he heard Adrien was missing, fearing that his akuma had been the cause.

But now he was looking for a new target, with a new goal in mind.

There was so much anger and grief in Paris. So much that it was overwhelming. Nausea was building every minute he was transformed.

He couldn't pinpoint Adrien or Marinette. Their suffering must have been in the waves, but it was like looking for a grain of sand on the beach.

"Nooroo, dark wings fall."

"Master?" Nooroo asked, reappearing.

"It's no use. It's like listening for someone's shout in a crowd of thousands. I have to have an idea of where to feel from."

Nooroo stayed silent as Gabriel fell to his knees, scrubbing his hands through his hair. "All I wanted…was my family. To keep Adrien safe! But now I—" His words were cut off with a sob as he leaned forward and rested his head on the ground.

Hawkmoth struck fear into the hearts of Parisians. He created akuma that could grind the city to a halt.

But this woman…she had succeeded where he had failed, and done it so effortlessly.

And he didn't even care about the Miraculous anymore.

Now it was personal. He would wreak his own revenge in time.

He just needed a clue.


	9. Waiting

This chapter contains no warnings.

—

Master Fu was a simple man these days. He drank his tea without milk or sugar. He took evening strolls through the park. And he always, always watched the six o'clock news.

Today, he closed his clinic the second there was an Akuma attack, just as he always did. And he had yet to reopen. Due to the nature of the akuma, he had stayed as far away as possible, keeping with reports online.

Now, at a quarter to six, he sat watching the TV with rapt attention.

Well, not really. There was some sitcom on. The news was next, and he was eagerly waiting for it.

"Still no word on the akuma?"

"No." Fu answered, glancing at the police blotter. "This is very suspicious. If they defeated it and nothing healed, then Marinette should have come to me for help by now."

"You don't think…that the akuma won, do you?"

Master Fu was quiet, not wanting to admit it, but knowing that that was the most likely scenario.

"What do we do?"

"I would like to see what is being reported. If there hasn't been anymore news, we will go to Alya Cesaire, Nino Lahiffe, and Chloe Bourgeois."

"Do you think that's a good idea? If Ladybug and Chat Noir weren't able to stop this akuma, should the others, who are more inexperienced join the fray?"

"We don't have a choice. I can't allow Hawkmoth to get ahold of their Miraculous."

The show ended, and on came the TVi news logo. All of the facts that Fu already knew were rehashed again, and Fu was forced to wait longer still, knowing his hesitation could mean the difference between victory and defeat.

Finally, they cut over to Nadja on the scene of the Arc De Triomphe. "_This was the last location the Akuma was spotted, and the damage to the structure still remains. The Akuma spawned at the renovation site of Notre Dame, where witnesses say a construction worker was akumatized after accidentally collapsing a scaffolding. No casualties have been reported, luckily. According to the Ladyblog, the official new source for all things Ladybug, Ladybug and Chat Noir were spotted on their way to intercept the akuma, though reporter Alya Cesaire was asked to leave by Ladybug, for her own safety. No one else has seen or heard from the heroes since. Which begs the question: _

_"Has Hawkmoth finally won?_"

Master Fu stood. "That's it, I'm recruiting the others."

He went to the Miracle box, opening it and taking out the Fox necklace and the Bee comb.

He gathered some other necessary items, and just when he was about to go out the door, the TV turned to static.

"_Good evening Paris_." A woman in black appeared, with reflective sunglasses on her face. "_Please excuse me for interrupting whatever pointless drivel you were consumed with. My name is Salo. I'm not an akuma, but you'll soon wish I was. I have succeeded where all the others have failed._" She stepped back to show Ladybug and Chat Noir, bound and gagged.

Master Fu dropped everything in his arms and ran to the Tv, holding the sides to get a better look. "Oh no...no no no...this can't be happening..."

"_I have captured the so called heroes of Paris. In ten minutes, I will be revealing their identities on 'make ladybug suffer dot com.' Be sure to tune in, you won't want to miss it._" Her mouth quirked up in a malicious smile, and the picture went to static, the news coming back on without a pause.

Master Fu scrambled to grab his phone and pulled up the explorer. The website loaded slowly, but the live feed turned on just in time for him to see Chat Noir's arm get dislocated.

Master Fu had seen some hard things in his long life as a guardian. But he had become so fond of Marinette and Adrien that the thought of them suffering brought pain to his heart.

He knew the risks. They knew the risks. But that didn't make this any easier.

While the video was still playing, he gathered the Miraculous and headed outside.

Paris was at a standstill. Even traffic had ground to a halt, as people everywhere were staring at their phones in various stages of shock.

Master Fu hurried to find Alya and Nino, not knowing where they'd be. Home, perhaps? Not at the school, not at this time of night. Though, Alya ran the Ladyblog and was often out chasing akuma. They could be anywhere!

"_Well well well. A famous model and a superhero! How intriguing! Adrien Agreste…I bet your father would pay a pretty penny to have you home safe and sound, don't you think?_"

Master Fu winced. There was one. Adrien was no longer safe. Especially since he was a celebrity and everyone knew where he lived.

He walked faster.

Maybe Alya and Nino were looking for them? Maybe they'd run into each other. Gah! He was wasting time! Where, where, where!?

"I'll try the bakery. It's nearby and…maybe they are there waiting for Marinette."

"_And who the heck are you?_" Salo snorted. "_We lucked out with Mr. Whiskers, but who knew Ladybug was just a nobody?_" She leaned in closer. "_Oh wait, I recognize you…yeah, you're a friend of the Ladyblogger, in some of her videos. Mmmm….Marinette, right? Yeah. How sad! You'd think the person most dedicated to finding out Ladybug's identity would have seen her sitting in front of her! You must either be too pathetic in your real life, or totally unimportant to the Ladyblogger._"

Master Fu swore under his breath. Now Ladybug was compromised. Strangers gasped in shock all around him, as they cried out 'oh no she's just a kid!'

A kid with the burden of the world on her shoulders.

Master Fu stopped, leaning against a building to catch his breath. He was too old for this job. He heard Salo demanding Marinette to strip and turned off his phone. He'd give her the privacy of at least one person.

"What are we going to do?" He whispered. "This is all my fault…"

Wayzz, ever faithful and wise, asked, "how is it your fault?"

"I gave them the Miraculous. I entrusted them, two _children_, with magic stones to fight crime!"

"Yes, but you wouldn't have if Hawkmoth hadn't come out of hiding."

That was a very true point. One that eased the burden of guilt ever so slightly.

"Still…"

"And you never told them to fight crime outside of akumas. They did that on their own."

"Well of course they were going to do that!" Master Fu chastised. "There's no way they would sit by and let things happen. You know that."

"Of course. But I'd venture to say that this woman is responsible for this. If you had picked anyone else, I'd wager that this would have still happened. It's not fair to blame yourself."

"I can't…I can't help it. They were my chosen."

"All may not be lost yet." Wayzz reminded gently. "This woman isn't an akuma. Hawkmoth will be searching for them, and his akuma are hard to miss."

Master Fu straightened up at that. "You're right! Let's hurry then."

When they reached the bakery, they found the lobby door was open, but no one was in the first floor.

"I'll peek upstairs." Wayzz suggested, floating towards the stairs.

There was some shouting from the living room, and Wayzz returned quickly. "Alya and Nino are up there, but so are the rest of their classmates, and Adrien's guardians."

Fu frowned. "Alright. It would be best for them to keep their secret identities. We will wait until they leave to announce our presence."

So Master Fu and Wayzz left the bakery and waited across the street. He pulled out his phone, only to see that the stream had ended, a message stating that more would happened in the morning. He didn't know if he even wanted to know what happened when he wasn't watching.

Soon enough, he saw two classmates come bolting out of the bakery and down the street.

Finally, the bodyguard that was always around Adrien exited with a bag over his shoulder and a heavy tote in his hands. He placed it in the car and went back inside.

"Ah, I see."

"What?" Asked Wayzz.

"I believe the Dupain-Cheng's are relocating, now that the world knows who Ladybug is. Smart. Very smart."

He continued to wait as the other classmates trickled out. Sabine and Tom came out, more luggage on them, and got in the car. Then, Alya and Nino left together, hand in hand.

"Alright, that's our cue."

He followed them at a healthy distance for a block or so, before catching up to them and announcing his presence. "Nino Lahiffe? Alya Cesaire?"

They spun around, very obviously on edge, as Nino pulled Alya behind him. "Who wants to know?"

He smiled at them softly. "You have every right to be on edge right now, and I'm glad you are." He glanced around, checking to see how safe it was to talk in the open. There weren't very many people out, since the stream had made everyone nervous and retreat to their homes. Though there was no one immediately near them, he still walked a few slow steps forward.

The teens didn't budge, but kept a wary eye on the man.

"I must apologize. You two are going through a great deal right now, but I must ask a favor of you."

Alya and Nino shared a look, and then she said, "who are you again?"

"You may call me Master Fu. I am the guardian of the miraculous."

At the reveal, Wayzz appeared from his pocket, and waved to Nino. The two teens sighed in relief and relaxed.

"Surely you've seen the website?" Master Fu asked.

"Yeah…" Alya breathed. "It's…the worst thing I've ever seen."

"You would be in good company with most of Paris. That is why I have called on you." He took out the box with the Fox Miraculous. "Alya Cesaire, this is the Miraculous of the Fox, you will use it for good."

She nodded fiercely and held her hand out to accept it.

Trixx came alive once the lid was opened. "Hey pretty girl! How's it going?"

"I've been better." Alya admitted with a sad smile, as she hooked the necklace on.

Then Master Fu removed the bracelet from his arm. "Nino Lahiffe, this is the Miraculous of the Turtle. You will use it for good."

"Of course dude—er, Master." He took the bracelet and slipped it on, Wayzz reappearing.

"In your care, I will also leave the Bee Miraculous. It will be up to you to decide if Chloe Bourgeois is worthy of being a hero once more. Marinette had mentioned that she was not on good terms with her. This may hinder Chloe's potential as an ally. Either way, it is up to you."

"Thank you Master," they both said with a bow.

"Now, I must state again, the enemy you face is not an akuma. She is not a Miraculous user. This is a matter that should be left up to the police, but I can't sit by and left Hawkmoth have an opening to take the Miraculous. There is no Miraculous Cure to fix any damages. These people don't have beams or magic swords. They have guns and no hesitation. Don't do anything too rashly."

"Yes Master," they agreed.

"When do you want us to return these?" Alya asked, with good reason.

"I don't have an answer for that." Fu said, "I would say…at least when the Ladybug and Chat Noir Miraculous are safe. If…Marinette and Adrien can still be saved when that happens, then…"

The insinuation was not lost on the other two, though it was a fate they were not ready to accept.

"We'll save them," said Alya, resolutely. "We'll save both of them. And the Miraculous."

Master Fu smiled at them, a proud look in his eyes. "Marinette choose well. I've always thought so." Then he sobered. "It is important that you continue to hide your identities, and I suggest you don't bring any attention to yourselves as heroes. I don't know how this 'Salo' woman captured them so easily, but I would venture they'd get you too if you step out of line. Keep under the radar."

"We'll be careful." Nino assured.

"I know you will do your best…I'm just…I don't want anyone else to get hurt. I can't help but feel that…this is my fault, for giving them the Miraculous. Wayzz assures me that anyone could have been taken by these people. But…just promise me that you'll stay safe? That I won't regret this decision."

Alya held up a pinky. "It may be juvenile, but I pinky swear."

Master Fu smiled at her, and hooked his finger with hers. He did the same with Nino. "There, you've made an oath with the guardian. It's unbreakable."

Alya smirked. "You said something that made a lot of sense. This is an opening for Hawkmoth to retrieve the Miraculous. He'll have an akuma out looking soon enough. We just need to follow it."

"Clever girl. Those were my thoughts exactly." He glanced at his watch. "We've been talking for much too long. As tempting as it sounds, don't begin your search just yet. Go home, and reassure your parents. They are probably already worried."

"Yes Master!"

"I'll see you again," he nodded sagely, and departed.

With Wayzz gone, the walk home was quiet, and he was left with his thoughts. Several times he found himself turning around to take the Miraculous back, but ultimately he let it go. What other choice did he have?

—

It was now 10 pm. Ten hours since Adrien and Marinette went missing. And four hours since their fate became known to the world.

Nino and Alya arrived at the Agreste residence, by car driven by the Gorilla. They both had large duffle bags with them. Enough clothes and necessities to last them two weeks. Alya doubted she'd get through all of it, because surely, they'd find a way to save Marinette and Adrien within the week. Surely.

Tom and Sabine met them at the door, readily embracing the kids. Four hours was a long enough time to worry about another missing pair.

Gabriel stood off to the side, watching, his hand over his mouth. He dared not to say anything, lest he out himself as incapable of making decisions that were in the best interest of everyone. Someone had to keep a level head.

Once everyone had calmed down again, Nathalie approached the teens. "I will show you to your rooms."

Nino spoke up. "Could we…could we stay in Adrien's room?"

Nathalie looked at Gabriel who only nodded. It was an innocent request, and he could understand it.

In Adrien's room, Alya and Nino set their bags on the ground and just stood there. The room was huge, and full of stuff…but it felt so empty. Empty, lonely, and cold.

The duffle of Marinette's stuff that Alya had packed sat behind the couch. An odd place for it, but convenient for tonight.

Nino took off his hat. "Do you want me to take the couch?"

Alya shook her head. "No…I want you close."

He nodded in understanding.

They made themselves comfortable, knowing that's what Adrien would want. They explored a little, without prying.

"Alya, look at this." Nino said with a fond little hum.

"Ew, is that…cheese?"

"I bet it's for his kwami."

Alya laughed then too. "You know, every once in a while, I'd get a whiff of cheese from him. I didn't think it was actually him, but…now I know."

It was late and they were exhausted. They took turns in the bathroom, getting ready for bed. Then they fumbled for the lights, and crawled into Adrien's bed. Alya had a shirt in her arms.

"What's that?" Nino asked.

"It's Marinette's." She answered, giving it a little sniff. "It smells like her."

"Babe, we're going to find them. We're going to save them."

"Absolutely."

"There is one blessing in all of this."

"And that is?"

"They're together. They aren't suffering alone. And as long as they have each other…I think they'll make it."

Alya nodded, reaching her hand out. "I think you're right."

He grasped her hand back, lacing their fingers together.

Neither slept well, not only from worry, but anxious for what awaited their friends in the morning.


	10. Crawling

Warning: This chapter has more public humiliation, and some fighting. There's quite a few different needles in this chapter as well. This is where the real torture begins.

—

They say the first night in prison is the hardest. But at least in prison, there was a bed, a toilet, and three square meals a day.

By the soreness in her neck, Marinette figured she had gotten some sort of rest. Calling it sleep was generous. It was more like a shock induced trance.

She moved her arm that was sticking out of the door, sending a tingling sensation all down the limb. Her hand was tight, still attached to Adrien.

Then she heard sniveling.

"Kitty?" She asked softly.

He responded with a broken voice. "My lady…did I wake you?"

"I…don't know if I ever got to sleep."

"I didn't." He said without hesitation. "Thank you for holding my hand all night. It helped."

"Of course kitty." She rubbed her thumb over his knuckles. "How's your arm?"

"I can't feel it anymore. It's totally numb."

"Well, I guess that's a blessing in this case." She had her head resting on the ground, and peered under the door, trying to gauge what time it was. But there was only darkness.

Soon enough though, there was the light of flashlights in the hallway, followed by footsteps.

"They're coming for us." She said, untangling their fingers.

They drew their hands back in, and waited.

It was only a moment before the light fed through the cracks of the door and the clicking of heels came to a halt on the cement floor.

"Rise and shine happy campers!" Salo's sickening voice called.

The little slots in the doors opened, the brightness of the flashlight painful against the eyes.

"Arms out." One of the men demanded.

They both presented their wrists, so the chains could be reattached.

Then in a series of clicks, the locks were undone, and the doors opened.

Adrien nearly fell in his rush to get out, but he was grabbed by the arm to stay still.

"Eager are we?" Salo laughed. "Well, no worries, we'll get started right away."

They were ushered back to the room they were in yesterday. "Look at you kiddies. Bright eyed and bushy tailed. You wouldn't believe it, but so many people are excited to see you this morning."

They were both yanked into place, just barely out of reach from each other. Chains were bolted to the floor, replacing the ones on their wrists. While another pair hung from the ceiling, most likely for later.

Marinette looked up to Adrien, finally able to see his face.

He looked awful. Hair disheveled, skin pale and clammy, and his eyes dark with bags.

"Over a million viewers on the site." Stated a man from the corner.

"And it's not even six yet. Can you believe it?" Salo walked up to Adrien and started to untie his gown in the back. "Let's see, how is this arm doing today?" She pulled the gown sleeve forward, displaying a blackened bruise covering his shoulder. His arm looked bizarrely flattened and unnatural. "Oh, what a lovely shade of purple. Don't worry, we'll make sure you match all over soon enough." She patted his face. "But we're going to start with your lady first, is that okay?"

Adrien shook his head. "Hurt me first. Whatever you what to do to her, do to me instead."

Salo laughed, loudly and manically. "Oh you are so cute! But it doesn't work like that kitty cat! You see, she was the one who jailed my Eddy. So she has to be punished."

"Please," Adrien begged. "Don't hurt her."

"Hmph." Salo smirked. "You haven't seen anything yet."

The clock struck six am.

"Congratulations. Now begins day one of your sentence. Before we begin, I'd like to tell you the rules." She folded her hands in front of her, like a teacher talking to a particularly thick student. "Rule number one: There is no escape. So you can just forget that right now. Rule number two: We take turns here during our games. So when your partner is having fun, you are expected to be quiet and wait your turn. Rule three: If I ask you a question, you answer it. And rule four: you do exactly what I tell you to do, when I tell you to."

Marinette sneered. "And what happens if we break one of these rules?"

Salo smiled at the gumption. "Why don't you try me and find out?"

Marinette thought better of it, and stayed silent.

Salo turned to Marinette, appraising her. "So…Marinette Dupain-Cheng. How old are you, again? State it for those at home, so they can know."

"17." She breathed. So Salo knew her full name. She must have done her research last night.

"17! 17 goddamn years old! And you're playing superhero! The fate of the city of Paris rested solely on your shoulders, and you haven't even finished Highschool! That's…that's embarrassing! Who let you do this?"

Marinette didn't answer.

"I said, who gave you the earrings, Marinette?"

Marinette glared, making it clear she wasn't going to answer.

Salo punched her squarely in the nose, sending her stumbling, but the chains were too short to go anywhere and she fell on the floor.

Salo snorted. "Wow, you have no balance. Who knew Ladybug was such a klutz?"

Marinette glared up at her, blood dripping from her nose.

"You really look ridiculous with those stupid pigtails. Like a baby. A toddler. Not a superhero in the slightest."

Marinette continued to glare, as she rubbed under her nose, smearing the blood away. This kind of thing wasn't that bothersome. Chloe had said worse before. People on the Ladyblog forums said worse.

Salo grabbed her pigtails and yanked, forcing Marinette to stand, while tears came to her eyes. "Is that what you are? A baby?"

Marinette rolled her eyes.

"Are you a baby?!" She yelled, shaking her. "That was a question!"

"Obviously not!" Marinette shot back.

Salo gave her hair another yank, rendering her silent.

"No…pigtails are for pigs! You're a little piggy, aren't you?"

Adrien watched, on edge. That punch looked like it hurt, but Marinette was tough.

"Yeah…let's make you a little piggy." She walked over to her table, and grabbed something.

Marinette and Adrien shared a look of apprehension.

Salo returned with a strap with two sharp, metal hooks on the end.

Marinette could see were this was going and backed away, reaching the end of her chains. Then she crouched and attempted to hide her face.

"Now now, that's no way to behave. Hold still!"

Just like with her earrings, Marinette kicked and wriggled, anything to keep that woman away from her. But Salo was a lot rougher this time, slapping her, hitting her, pinching her, anything to inflict pain. Finally, she trapped her face against the floor, and the hooks took hold in her nostrils. Not enough to pierce all the way through, but enough to hurt and draw blood. The strap went over the top of her head and attached to the collar, forcing her nose up like a pig snout.

Salo got off of her, and looked down on her with a grin. "You look absolutely ridiculous."

"Mari…" Adrien began, taking a step forward.

"You, shut up!" Salo commanded with a slap. "You are not allowed to speak. You are here to watch in silence!"

Adrien flinched at the tone.

Salo whirled around right as Marinette was trying to take the strap off. "On your hands and knees."

She did as she was told, her gaze on the floor.

"Look at me."

Glancing up, Marinette saw a camera right behind Salo, recording her humiliation for the world to see.

"What does the little piggy say?"

Her heart pounded and her cheeks burned. But she croaked out, "…oink."

"What was that?"

"Oink!"

Salo snickered. "No no, that's not what a real piggy sounds like. What noise does a real piggy make?"

Marinette snorted in her throat.

"That's a good piggy! Nice and loud! So everyone can hear!"

She snorted again, louder, making a really gross sound.

"Again!"

Over and over, she snorted like a pig, the camera swooping into her face and catching it all.

"Over this way now." Salo demanded, walking over to her other side.

The chains were heavy, but allowed for Marinette to crawl on her hands and knees over to where Salo demanded.

"Now over here."

Marinette crawled back and forth and back and forth. The cement was rough on her palms and bloodied her knees. But she did as told, choosing to be humiliated than to be beaten again.

Though she assumed that's what it would be like for a while, having to pick between two awful options.

"Oh, goodness me. You haven't eaten yet, have you? You must be starving!"

The last time she had eaten was breakfast yesterday morning, since the Akuma cropped up before lunch. Her stomach coiled tightly, nausea replacing the thought of food.

"Here, food for the piggy."

A rotten apple plopped in front of her.

Marinette turned up her nose in disgust. There was no way she was going to eat that.

"It's that, or nothing."

She rather take the nothing. She sat back, glancing up at the woman in refusal.

"You sure? I won't give you anything else today."

Marinette shook her head slightly. She wasn't desperate enough.

Salo kicked the apple away, not too far out of reach. "You'll want that eventually."

Marinette glanced at Adrien, who was looking at her with disgust. Not her, per say, but what was happening to her. Though it didn't exactly help.

"I can see you're tired of this game. Do you want to stop being a piggy?"

"Please…" Marinette groaned.

Salo grinned. "Alright then, stay still." She blessedly removed the hooks, Marinette's nose sore and still bleeding.

Then she tried to stand, but Salo kicked her in the side. "Did I say you could stand?!"

"No…" Marinette breathed.

"No, what?"

"No ma'am."

"Good girl," Salo snorted. "Stay."

Marinette remained on her hands and knees, her arms trembling and her knees aching. She could hear Salo coming around behind her, but didn't dare turn to look. Her hands were on her head, forcing her to look down.

Then, there was some snipping, and then a little more, and then something black fell on the ground in front of her.

Her pigtails.

Salo tussled what was left her hair, making it wild.

"What do you think, kitty cat? doesn't she look more mature?"

Adrien was staring, his mouth slightly open, and his eyebrows pinched.

"I asked you a question, maggot."

"Yes, she…she looks…nice."

Marinette took that as a clue that her hair cut was not well done.

Salo stood and studied her. "Hmm, you know, I don't really see it. I think…once a pig, always a pig."

Marinette snarled at her, spitting at her feet.

"A wild pig. Don't you think so, Pasolini?" She glanced at a man in the room, the same one who had dislocated Adrien's arm.

With a completely neutral expression, he started coming towards her, his steps slow and menacing.

Marinette immediately started to backpedal, scooting on the floor away from him. But soon, she was on the end of her rope and there was no where left to go.

Pasolini easily pinned her to the ground, her temple forced against the cement. Try as she may, there was no pushing up. Thankfully, he was only pinning her, and not doing anything else.

"Get off of her!" Adrien barked. "You're hurting—ugh!" Adrien was elbowed in the stomach, his words coming up short.

"It's only day one, so I'll give you a break, but remember the rules! No talking."

Adrien winced, but didn't say any more.

Marinette was breathing hard, her nostrils flaring as she glared up at Salo. The light was directly behind her, casting her into darkness.

She felt the piercing pain of the hooks in her nose again, forcing her nose up. The pain ease slightly if she raised her chin.

There was a buzzing sound as Salo rested a knee on her back. "Now, hold still."

Despite her rapid breathing, Marinette did hold firm. She had no idea what was happening and didn't want to cause herself anymore pain.

Something slid across her scalp, just on the side of her head above her ear. Then she felt the sensation of loose hair by her ear.

She was being shaved.

"No…no please…"

"Oh it's just a little." Said Salo. "It's in style right now."

She shaved right down to the skin, as Marinette felt her fingertips brushing against her.

Then the buzzing stopped.

"Hold her still, Pasolini, we can't have her move an inch for this."

The man moved a hand to her jaw, pressing her face hard against the cement. Then he replaced the knee on her lower back. She couldn't move, and she could barely breathe.

A new buzzing sound started, and Marinette felt Salo rest her hand on the side of her head. This buzzing was incredibly loud, and she could feel the vibrations in her skull.

Whatever she was doing, it hurt. Burning, stinging, itching, like a nail was being dragged over her scalp.

Or a needle.

A needle!

"What…are you doing…to me?" Marinette grit through her teeth.

"Shh…" Salo hushed, in a way that would have been soothing if it wasn't so condescending. "It'll all be over soon."

Marinette could barely see Adrien from here, but she could see that his teeth were exposed in a snarl.

Finally, _finally, _Salo finished her deed, and Marinette was pulled back to her feet. Her head hurt, and reaching up, she found blood on her fingers.

Then a mirror was in front of her, Salo holding it with a proud grin. "What do you think? I think it's so _you_."

Tears came immediately, because for a half second, she couldn't recognize her own face.

Blood was smeared all around her nose and mouth, and fresh drips still came from her upturned nose. Her eye was blackened with bruises. Her hair was chopped awkwardly and uneven, with her right side shaved clean. In fresh red ink, 'cochon', the French word for pig, was tattooed on her scalp.

Marinette choked out a sob. She was marked for life.

"You now how much people pay for tattoos these days? And I gave you one for free! No gratitude?"

Marinette just continued to cry. She felt hideous. She felt like a pig.

"I said, no gratitude?" Salo pinched the underside of her arm.

Marinette cried out, and then answered, "T-thank—Thank you ma'am!"

"You're welcome, little piggy." Salo laughed, and then shoved her so she fell on her rear.

Marinette glanced up to meet Adrien's eyes. He was also crying, but his nostrils flared in anger. How dare this woman? How dare she!?

Salo just waltzed around the room, looking between the two of them and her table filled with unimaginable torture devices.

"Now let's see. Before I damage the goods…" She waved over to a man at a computer. "I'm ready to connect that call, now."

"Connecting." He replied.

The screen that had been used the day before to show the news report lit up again, a phone icon on it. Then, Gabriel Agreste's face. It looked to be his personal cellphone.

Tom and Sabine were in the background, looking between him and another screen on their end.

"Monsieur Agreste! Wonderful for you to join us."

"_I don't need your false pleasantries. Where are you? How did you get this number?_"

"Oh come now Gabe, if you want to win, you have to play the game."

_"I don't see a game. I see a sick creature torturing children."_

She scoffed. "You're no fun." Then she tapped her chin, deep in thought. "Alright then, we'll start the bid at 50 million. Just a smidgen less than your net profit for this year. That's doable right? Surely your son is worth that much."

Gabriel clenched his jaw. _"How much for both of them?"_

"I'm afraid Chat Noir is the only one up for sale. I still have so much planned for Ladybug."

Gabriel opened his mouth to respond, but Adrien beat him to the punch. "Don't you dare give her a single cent, Father!"

Salo whipped around, glaring at him. "Shut up!"

But Adrien was undeterred. "They'll just spend the money to do this to others! Don't let that happen!" His speech was cut short as Salo clocked him in the jaw.

He hit the ground hard, and she gave him no time to recover as she kicked him over and over with her steel toed boots. She didn't finish until he was gasping for breath.

Then she turned back to the screen. "60 million. And the price will continue to rise day by day. And you'll end up having a very expensive funeral with a closed casket."

Gabriel had his eyes shut tight, like he was being presented with the hardest choice in the world.

Because he was.

Finally, he swallowed and looked off to the side. He gave whoever was there a soft smile and nodded. "_No deal, Salo. I don't negotiate with terrorists. I will find my own way to save my son. One that doesn't benefit you. I love Paris, almost as much as they do. And I refuse to be responsible for its downfall. Not when my son has worked so hard to protect it._"

Salo frowned hard. "You've spurned me, Gabriel Agreste. I'll take you next. Once I've finished with your son. This was your only chance to save him. But I'll let you say goodbye."

The camera moved past Salo to Adrien who was lying on the ground. "D-Dad…"

"_Hang in there, Chat Noir. Just a little while longer._"

"I…I love you, dad."

"_I love you too, son_."

The call ended.

"Sickening." Salo scoffed. "You'd think a man that rich wouldn't care about the money. But I guess I was wrong. He doesn't really love you. He was just trying to make it easier on you. How does it feel to be rejected by your own father, huh?"

Adrien took steadying breaths, his chest hurting from her kicks. At least, that's what he assumed the pain was from.

"That was a question!" Salo shouted, right in his ear.

"He didn't reject me," he breathed. "I wanted him to stay out of it."

"You're an idiot. But everyone knew that. Chat Noir has always been the dumb one. Isn't that right, Ladybug?"

Marinette was still lying on the floor. She didn't sit up, but she answered, "Chat Noir is a genius. He's goofy, but he's smart."

"He's an idiot!" Salo yelled back. "He's a retarded piece of shit!"

Adrien clenched his eyes shut. It was just words. Just words. Lies.

"You're not trying to drown me out, are you?" Salo asked, getting in his face. "Because I can do this all day, dumbass."

"We hate liars." He stated, firmly. "And you're nothing but a liar."

Salo laughed. "You're a child. You don't think I can hurt you? Didn't you see what I did to your little Love Bug earlier? You looked so _angry_."

Adrien opened his eyes to glare at her.

She smiled maliciously. "Want to see if we can make her look that angry, too?" Then she looked over his head, to Pasolini.

The man came over and pressed a hand to Adrien's head with little effort. He was already exhausted.

"Now let's see." Salo's hand caressed his cheek. "My my, you don't have your ears pierced. I would have thought you did, considering Ladybug's Miraculous are earrings. What if there was an emergency, idiot? What would you have done then?"

"Just…hope there wasn't one?" He asked, nervously as she traced his ear with her finger.

"Childish. Stupid. No matter, I'll fix that now."

There was a hard pinch, and Adrien felt something sharp on his neck, right beneath his earlobe.

"There, we have a pretty diamond one. Well, it's not really diamond. I think it might be glass. Either way, it was on sale for like five bucks. You're not allergic to any metals are you?"

"…no? Did…did you pierce my ear?"

"Doesn't hurt as much as you're expecting it too, hmm? Not to worry, we have plenty more to do. Let's see…oh, we'll do this pretty gold one next."

So she pierced his ears. One piercing after another, passed the lobe and into the cartilage, where the gun snapped through with a crack. Where it hurt significantly more.

Ten piercings on each side. By the end of it, his ears were red, itchy, and pulsing.

"Well what do you know? I'm all out of studs. Oh, but I think this is a good look for you. Don't you think so, Ladybug?"

Marinette watched from where she laid on the ground, her tears never stopping. "You're still handsome." She stated.

"Hmm, still handsome, huh? Well, we'll work on that in a bit."

Pasolini sat Adrien up, as the camera zoomed in on the fresh piercings.

"We made Ladybug into a piggy, but I think we'll keep the cat theme for you. A mangy, feral alleycat." She took out the studs from his middle cartilage piercings and replaced them with small hoops. Then she threaded twine through the hoops on both sides and tied them together on top of his head, yanking it tight so his ears pinched to a point.

Like a cat.

Adrien hissed in pain.

It wasn't enough to scream, but it sucked. And the pain got worse the longer it was held. It would have been surprising if the piercings didn't just rip out of his ears.

"Meow meow kitty cat?" Said Salo in a disgusting sugary voice. "Can you say meow meow?"

"Meow meow..." Adrien forced out, despite the pain.

"Like a real kitty." She demanded.

He rolled his eyes and meowed, imitating a cat. He did it often enough as Chat Noir that it was easy. But outside of the mask...it was just weird.

"Is kitty cat hungry?"

Not if she was going to give him a rotten apple too.

A can opened, and with a splat, a cylinder of meat plopped on the ground in front of him.

Cat food.

Of course. This woman loved being literal.

"This isn't rotten. Fresh from the store. You're a growing kitty. Go on..." She pushed his face into the food with her foot on the back of his head. "Eat it."

He got some of the mush up his nose as a result.

"I'm not hungry." He argued.

"Nonsense, I could hear your stomach growling all night. Eat up."

Adrien closed his eyes. _Just pretend it's pate, like at one of father's fancy dinner parties._ He told himself.

Then he took a bite. It wasn't the worst thing he had eaten, and it smelled better than Camembert. But the texture was disgusting, and he was eating off of a dirty cement floor.

Knowing that his father was watching him at that moment also was a kick in the shin.

Salo waited until he swallowed to laugh. "Ha! He actually ate it! What a dumb pussy cat!"

Adrien spat out the second bite in his mouth.

"No? Not hungry?"

"You bitch…" He hissed.

She scowled, her fist clenching. "Oh, you don't get to call me names."

"That wasn't one of your rules." Adrien spat.

Her hands darted out, latching onto his throat above his collar. Her fingers curled into his skin as she pressed down on his adam's apple. He coughed and choked, taking hold of her wrist with his good arm.

"I could crush you under my thumbs. I could break you, kill you with no problem. It's a mercy that I haven't already. Do you understand?"

Adrien's gagging and choking was her only answer.

She dropped him, and he fell to the ground.

Salo snapped her fingers and Adrien was yanked up on his knees. Pasolini grabbed hold of the twine between his ears and forced him to look up.

"I thought you were smart enough not to pick a fight with me. Guess that's what I get for thinking so highly of a big dumb idiot." She scooped the rest of the cat food in her hand and shoved it in his face.

Adrien kept his mouth firmly shut, but the food smeared all over, even going up his nose. Salo wiped her hands clean on his robe.

"We're going to mark him." She told Pasolini, who simply nodded and pushed Adrien back down on the ground, a knee on his back and his hands holding his face flat.

Just like with Marinette, Adrien's head was shaved on the side, the left, right above his ear.

Then, the tattoo gun started up and Salo got to work etching a foul name on the side of his head. It ached, and the drumming of the gun was unbearable. Adrien clenched his eyes shut and willed the pain to go away, but it went on and on.

"There. Fitting, for you."

Adrien sat up on his own, his battered knees aching at the movement.

Salo thrust the mirror into his face, showing the abuse she put him through.

His word was 'chatte' the French word for pussy, but not the feline form.

"Are you going to think twice before sassing me next time?" She asked, pinching his cheek.

"Yes ma'am." He whispered back.

"Good." She snorted. "Now, I've got other things to do. But we'll have more fun tonight." Then she called to the others in the room. "Suspend them for now."

The cameras were still rolling as Salo left the room. Men came and changed out their chains, attaching them to the ceiling instead. With a loud cranking sound, the chains shortened, so they were just barely able to reach the ground. Adrien cried out in pain from his bad arm.

Then slowly, the others left the room, until Adrien and Marinette were alone.

"Do you think they're watching?" Marinette asked.

"They have to be." Adrien gestured towards a camera with his head. "They're broadcasting us to all of France."

"Yeah…" She breathed. She didn't have an escape plan anyways. The chains were almost medieval in design, the kind with a pin that had to be broken with a chisel. Breaking the link to the chains was the only way out, and that wasn't happening anytime soon.

"How's your nose?" Adrien asked.

"It hurts. How're your ears?"

"Hurts."

He was tired. Such little sleep and all he had gone through already, he just closed his eyes, and begged for sleep to come.


	11. Planning

Warning: This chapter is a recap of the last one, in the perspective of those watching. It is sad.

—

It's 5:30am. A half an hour until the next broadcast begins. The large screen in the Agreste living room was hooked up to the computer, and the site was open and waiting. According to the counter on the bottom of the screen, another 100,000 people were waiting as well.

Sleep didn't come easy for those in the house. Sabine hadn't slept at all, spending most of the night awake in the kitchen with a pot of coffee. Tom had tried to stay up with her, but the day before had been a long one in the bakery, and his eyes fell shut against his will. There was little rest to be had with his head on the counter.

Gabriel hadn't slept at all either, as he had stayed up all night as Hawkmoth in his lair.

One would think it would be easy for someone like Hawkmoth to feel the emotions from Adrien and Marinette. But in a city of millions, there were all sorts of emotions running high. Even in the middle of the night.

He even tried feeling for intense happiness, of someone like Salo. But there were plenty of people who hadn't heard about Ladybug and Chat Noir's capture, or they just weren't concerned.

What if they weren't even in Paris anymore? Salo had an Italian accent, what if they were in Italy?

The second problem Hawkmoth had was his fear of akumatizing someone without Ladybug being around. With so many people in such volatile states, akumatizing the wrong person could mean the difference between finding them, or tearing the city apart.

It was a risky move. One that he knew he'd employ soon enough, but he still hesitated.

He'd wait a little longer, just until people came to terms with this new reality. Once people were a little more stable.

Then perhaps he'd employ Mr. Lahiffe or Miss. Cesaire. Someone who was close to Adrien or Marinette. Maybe he'd even akumatize himself.

Or maybe he wouldn't even need to use his powers. Maybe the police would figure it out. They had to be working on it, right?

But it was morning now, and blearily, he emerged from his office and came into the living room. Nathalie was in, deep bags under her eyes. She had gone to bed not long after midnight, but it was obvious she spent most of the night tossing and turning. The Gorilla had slept, but looked just as he always had, not giving any idea to his exhaustion.

Nino and Alya were awake as well, still in their pajamas.

Sabine came out of the kitchen with a tray. Coffee, cups, and fresh baked croissants. "I'm sorry, Tom and I bake under pressure. And I just…if no one is hungry, I won't be offended."

Gabriel was the first to take a croissant and a cup of coffee. "Thank you Sabine, this is quite welcomed after such a long night. You may use the kitchen as you like. Please let me know if you need anything else."

"Thank you Gabriel." She smiled calmly.

The kids and Nathalie took coffee and a croissant as well, as Tom finally joined the group. He had an indent on his forehead from laying on the counter.

Then they sat around, looking at each other and the screen. No one knew what to say.

The doorbell rang, and Gabriel scowled. "The media? At this hour of the morning?"

"I'll go see who it is," said Nathalie, standing. But Gabriel was quick to follow her, preparing to reprimand whoever was bothering them so soon. The Gorilla followed them as well, ready to knock some heads in.

Indeed, the media was out there, but the man that rang the doorbell didn't look like a reporter. He looked like a police officer, but his windbreaker had 'EUROPOL' printed on it. The man himself was carrying a briefcase and had an eyepatch.

Nathalie spoke into the mic. "Yes?"

"_Detective Joseph Bertony, European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation_." He held up a badge and ID card. "_I'd like a word with Mr. Agreste._"

"Let him in." Gabriel agreed.

The gate swung up swiftly, and Detective Bertony entered quickly, before the media could try to slide in.

Nathalie opened the door, and gestured him inside.

"Mr. Agreste, thank you for agreeing to speak with me."

"I assume this is about Adrien?"

"And Marinette Dupain-Cheng, of course. I've been to the bakery, and it's on lock down. Have you been in contact with the family?"

"Yes, they are here with me."

"Excellent. If you wouldn't mind, could I speak to them as well? I understand that this is a difficult time, but we need to act quickly."

Gabriel swallowed, still apprehensive, but he nodded and gestured Detective Bertony to follow.

In the living room, Tom and Sabine stood at the presence of this newcomer.

He held out his hand to shake their hands. "Detective Bertony, Europol."

"Tom Dupain."

"Sabine Cheng." She smiled.

Then he glanced at the kids. Gabriel answered for them. "This is Alya Cesaire and Nino Lahiffe, close friends of Adrien and Marinette."

"Hi," said Alya.

"Hello," said Nino.

He shook their hands too, with a nod. "You're the creator of the Ladyblog, right?" He asked Alya.

"That's me…" She said with a little shrug. She was so close to pulling the plug on the blog, since got her best friend captured.

"We've been reviewing it as evidence for this case. You're not in any trouble, conversely, we'd like to work with you. If Salo is using your blog, we might be able to use it as well."

Alya perked up considerably. Anything to right her wrongs. "Sure! Just say the word!"

He winked at her, and then addressed the group.

"I'm sure you're all wondering why I'm here, if not a little on edge. I would be too, if I was in your place." He gestured to an open chair by the coffee table. "May I?"

"Yes, of course," replied Gabriel.

The detective took his seat, and scooted his chair closer to the table. Then he opened his briefcase and set a file on the table. Inside were several pictures of women. Mugshots, to be precise.

Upon closer inspection, they were all the same woman, with different hair styles and makeup.

"Bianca Furtoli. Age 46, born in Sicily. Committed her first crime at 15, carjacking. Widowed four times, with her first husband barely surviving after she stabbed him in the eye with a knife." He looked up, noticing they were looking at his eyepatch meaningfully. He continued, "she worked as a prostitute in her twenties, and became a prolific dominatrix. In 1997, she was arrested for her first murder, but the sentencing was reversed for lack of evidence. Since then, she's been known as an alleged serial killer, not a dominatrix, all throughout Italy and Germany, and now France. This is the woman who has captured your children."

Sabine sobbed.

"So, you know her identity. That's good, right? Then you can find her?" Asked Nino.

Detective Bertony sighed, screwing up his lips. "I've been tracking Furtoli for the last fifteen years, after she fell in with Savauge and became an international threat. Both of them are very talented at disguise and covering their tracks. They operate under the motto, 'everyone has a dark secret,' and they use it to get out of sticky situations. The right person is blackmailed, evidence goes missing, testimonies get changed. They are slippery, and nearly impossible to catch. Of course, we have no hard proof of this, but it's our best guess, since the same patterns happen over and over with them. This will be the first time we have real, hard evidence to convict her. She's been seen on camera assaulting them, and she admitted to kidnapping. If we can find her, we will have a real case."

Alya cracked her knuckles. "Alright, so what do we do?"

He cracked a smile. "During her first broadcast yesterday, Salo gave us two clues, though I doubt she meant to. A hint on how to track her, and a time limit."

"Time limit? For what?" Asked Gabriel, with a tremor in his voice.

"A time limit for them. 'Salo' refers to the Socialist Republic of Italy, under the control of Mussolini in World War II, but it's also the title of a horrendous movie from the '70s, about a group of fascists that kidnap and torture nine adolescents. It's surname is '120 days of Sodom' and it's well known as one of the most horrendous films ever made. It's banned in most countries."

"I think I remember when that came out," said Gabriel. "There was a big controversy because the director called it 'art' but it was so foul that no one could watch it."

"I can only assume that given enough time, Salo will try to reenact the events of the movie."

"...how does the movie end?" Asked Nino, cautiously.

"The victims are killed brutally. And the kidnappers laugh about it."

Gabriel didn't want to acknowledge it, and so he asked, "you said she gave a hint on how to find her?"

"Yes," said Bertony, with a little more hope in his voice. "That clue was you, Mr. Agreste. She mentioned the idea of ransoming Adrien back to you. Knowing her, it's highly likely she will do just that. So here," he handed over a little device.

"What is it, exactly?"

"It's a tracking device, used to trace incoming calls. Plug it into your phone and all calls will be monitored to get an approximate location. I understand that you're a business man, and tracking your calls wouldn't be ideal…"

"This number is unlisted. She wouldn't be able to get it."

"That won't stop her. Any calls made will be classified information."

"I'm not concerned with clients' calls." Gabriel said, clicking the device into his phone. "I'm just…suspicious of her pulling it off."

"For now, it's the best lead we have, but we are monitoring the site to see if she makes any more mistakes."

Then the stream turned on, and Adrien and Marinette were shown in the room.

Detective Bertony took out his laptop, glancing between the tv and his screen.

"_Over a million viewers on the site._" Stated a man from the stream.

"_And it's not even six yet. Can you believe it?_" Salo walked up to Adrien and started to untie his gown in the back. "_Let's see, how is this arm doing today?_" The assembled winced at the bruised and battered arm. "O_h, what a lovely shade of purple. Don't worry, we'll make sure you match all over soon enough_." She patted his face. "_But we're going to start with your lady first, is that okay?_"

"_Hurt me first. Whatever you what to do to her, do to me instead._"

Sabine gasped a little, resting her hand on her heart.

Salo laughed, loudly and manically. "_Oh you are so cute! But it doesn't work like that kitty cat! You see, she was the one who jailed my Eddy. So she has to be punished._"

"_Please,_" Adrien begged. "_Don't hurt her._"

"_Hmph._" Salo smirked. "_You haven't seen anything yet._"

The clock struck six am.

"_Congratulations. Now begins day one of your sentence. Before we begin, I'd like to tell you the rules." She folded her hands in front of her, like a teacher talking to a particularly thick student. "Rule number one: There is no escape. So you can just forget that right now. Rule number two: We take turns here during our games. So when your partner is having fun, you are expected to be quiet and wait your turn. Rule three: If I ask you a question, you answer it. And rule four: you do exactly what I tell you to do, when I tell you to_."

Detective Bertony typed some notes as she spoke.

"_And what happens if we break one of these rules?" _

_"Why don't you try me and find out?" _

Tom bit his lip, worried that Marinette would take the bait. But she didn't, so nothing happened.

_"So…Marinette Dupain-Cheng. How old are you, again? State it for those at home, so they can know."_

_"17." _

"So now everyone has her name." Stated the detective, "if they didn't before."

"_17! 17 goddamn years old! And you're playing superhero! The fate of the city of Paris rested solely on your shoulders, and you haven't even finished Highschool! That's…that's embarrassing! Who let you do this?"_

Marinette didn't answer.

_"I said, who gave you the earrings, Marinette?" _

Marinette glared, making it clear she wasn't going to answer.

Sabine turned her face away when Salo pulled her fist back. She heard a crack and someone fall.

Salo snorted. _"Wow, you have no balance. Who knew Ladybug was such a klutz?…_Y_ou really look ridiculous with those stupid pigtails. Like a baby. A toddler. Not a superhero in the slightest."_

Marinette continued to glare, as she rubbed under her nose, smearing the blood away.

Salo grabbed her pigtails and yanked, forcing Marinette to stand, while tears came to her eyes. _"Is that what you are? A baby?…Are you a baby?!_" She yelled, shaking her. "_That was a question!_"

"_Obviously not_!" Marinette shot back.

Salo gave her hair another yank, rendering her silent.

"_No…pigtails are for pigs! You're a little piggy, aren't you? Yeah…let's make you a little piggy_." She walked off screen.

Salo returned with a strap with two sharp, metal hooks on the end.

Marinette crouched and pressed her face into the ground.

"_Now now, that's no way to behave. Hold still!_"

Sabine got up and left the room, unable to watch. Alya hid her face in Nino's shoulder.

Soon the strap was in place, forcing Marinette's nose up like a pig.

_"You look absolutely ridiculous." _

_"Mari…"_ Adrien began, taking a step forward.

_"You, shut up!_" Salo commanded with a slap. _"You are not allowed to speak. You are here to watch in silence!_"

Adrien flinched at the tone.

Then she turned back to Marinette. _"On your hands and knees…Look at me._"

The camera moved in, right to Marinette's face and showed her abuse in clear detail.

_"What does the little piggy say?"_

_"…oink."_

_"What was that?"_

_"Oink!"_

Salo snickered. _"No no, that's not what a real piggy sounds like. What noise does a real piggy make?"_

Marinette snorted.

_"That's a good piggy! Nice and loud! So everyone can hear!" _

She snorted again, louder, making a really gross sound.

_"Again!" _

The group watched with coiling stomachs as Marinette was degraded to an animal, oinking like a pig and crawling around on her hands and knees. It was disgusting.

_"Oh, goodness me. You haven't eaten yet, have you? You must be starving! Here, food for the piggy._"

A rotten apple plopped in front of her.

_"It's that, or nothing." _

But Marinette did not make any move to take it. She just sat back, and let the rebellion in her eyes answer for her.

_"You sure? I won't give you anything else today."_ Salo kicked the apple away, not too far out of reach. _"You'll want that eventually." _

Alya sighed in relief. She didn't know if her stomach could handle watching that.

_"I can see you're tired of this game. Do you want to stop being a piggy?"_

_"Please…"_ Marinette groaned.

Salo grinned. _"Alright then, stay still."_ She removed the hooks, then kicked her in the side as she tried to move. _"Did I say you could stand?!"_

_"No…"_

_"No, what?"_

_"No ma'am." _

_"Good girl,"_ Salo snorted. _"Stay."_

Salo again went off screen, as Marinette stayed put.

"What's happening now?" Asked Sabine from the hall.

"I'm not sure…" Answered Nino. "Salo's coming back and she…she has scissors."

"I can't watch!" Alya shrieked as she also stood and left the room.

Those remaining watched as Salo snipped off her pigtails, and only that. It was a little relieving, to be honest.

"She cut her hair." Tom provided, his voice in his throat.

"It…It'll grow back." Sabine sobbed from the hall. "Her hair always grows fast."

Salo tussled what was left her hair, making it wild.

"_What do you think, kitty cat? Doesn't she look more mature?_…_I asked you a question, maggot." _

_"Yes, she…she looks…nice." _

"It can be fixed," said Gabriel. "I know some very talented hairdressers. It's alright."

Salo stood and studied her. _"Hmm, you know, I don't really see it. I think…once a pig, always a pig." _

Marinette snarled at her, spitting at her feet.

_"A wild pig. Don't you think so, Pasolini?"_ She glanced off camera.

A shadow casted on Marinette as her eyes grew wide and she began to backpedal. But there was no where to run.

A man pinned her to the ground, a hand on her face and a knee on her lower back. She breathed harshly.

_"Get off of her!"_ Adrien barked. "_You're hurting—ugh!_" There wasn't a camera on Adrien at the moment, but it sounded like he got hit.

"_It's only day one, so I'll give you a break, but remember the rules! No talking."_

Salo replaced the hooks in her nose, and then held up an electric razor in the light.

_"Now, hold still._" She demanded, and lowered the razor.

"She's being shaved." Nino provided, his voice hallow.

Alya hugged Sabine.

_"No…no please…" _Marinette begged.

_"Oh it's just a little."_ Said Salo. _"It's in style right now…Hold her still, Pasolini, we can't have her move an inch for this._"

They shifted a little, and Marinette was barely visible on camera, since she was buried under the two people pinning her to the ground. The view switched to a different camera, zoomed in on her head, where Salo had a tattoo gun and was getting to work.

"Oh god…my baby girl…" Tom moaned.

"What? What's happening now?" Sabine begged, though she didn't want to hear it.

"She's…they're tattooing her."

"Tattooing what?"

"It-it looks like a word—oh…'_Cochon_'."

"Where? Where did they put it?"

"On her head, above her ear…her hair will grow out…but…"

Marinette was pulled to her feet and a mirror was thrust in front of her. Immediately, she started crying, and so did Tom.

_"You now how much people pay for tattoos these days? And I gave you one for free! No gratitude?"_

Marinette only cried.

_"I said, no gratitude?_"

Marinette cried out, and then answered, _"T-thank—Thank you ma'am!"_

_"You're welcome, little piggy."_ Salo laughed, and then shoved her so she fell on her rear.

Salo waltzed around the room, looking absolutely _delighted. _

The camera angle changed again to include Adrien. He was also crying.

Sabine and Alya dared to come back into the room. Though new tears cropped up when they saw Marinette's new look.

"That woman is dead." Hissed Alya.

_"Now let's see. Before I damage the goods…"_ She waved over to a man off screen. _"I'm ready to connect that call, now."_

_"Connecting."_

It was that moment that what Detective Bertony has predicted happened.

Gabriel's phone rang.

"Answer it." Said the detective. "Keep her on until I give the signal that it's been traced."

Gabriel nodded, and with a trembling hand, he answered the video call.

Salo's face shone back at him, though it was hard to discern what she looked like behind the glasses. He assumed that was on purpose.

"_Monsieur Agreste! Wonderful for you to join us._"

Immediately, he went into his boss mode. The voice of a man who hated to be inconvenienced and wronged. He made sure people knew of his distaste and had them groveling for forgiveness.

She would join the rest of them, soon enough. Once this call was over and they found her location. "I don't need your false pleasantries. Where are you? How did you get this number?"

_"Oh come now Gabe, if you want to win, you have to play the game."_

"I don't see a game. I see a sick creature torturing children."

She scoffed. _"You're no fun."_ Then she tapped her chin, deep in thought. _"Alright then, we'll start the bid at 50 million. Just a smidgen less than your net profit for this year. That's doable right? Surely your son is worth that much." _

He'd pay every cent he had to get his son back. He'd go bankrupt. He'd even give up his own Miraculous. Anything, as long as Adrien came back. He clenched his jaw. "How much for both of them?"

_"I'm afraid Chat Noir is the only one up for sale. I still have so much planned for Ladybug."_

Gabriel opened his mouth to respond, but Adrien beat him to the punch. _"Don't you dare give her a single cent, Father!" _

Salo whipped around, glaring at him. _"Shut up!"_

But Adrien was undeterred._ "They'll just spend the money to do this to others! Don't let that happen!" _His speech was cut short as Salo clocked him in the jaw.

He hit the ground hard, and she gave him no time to recover as she kicked him over and over with her steel toed boots. She didn't finish until he was gasping for breath.

Gabriel was going to puke. But he let nothing give way to his emotions but a deeper scowl.

She turned back to the camera._ "60 million. And the price will continue to rise day by day. And you'll end up having a very expensive funeral with a closed casket."_

Her message was clear.

He often argued that Adrien didn't know what was good for him. Every action that Gabriel, or Hawkmoth, made were for his benefit. He was still a kid, not quite 18 yet. What did he know about life?

A lot, apparently. Being a superhero meant that he was forced to grow up.

Gabriel saw the news. A man was dead because of that drug dealer they took down. That could have been Adrien. He was out there, every day, putting his life on the line and protecting Paris.

And even now, when they were on the brink of tragedy, when there was a glimmer of light to rescue them, he was begging for Paris.

How was Gabriel, a father, supposed to respond to that?

Finally, he swallowed and looked off to the side. Detective Bertony met his eyes with a soft smile.

"We got it." He said softly.

The words offered hope, and Gabriel gave the tiniest of smiles back.

"No deal, Salo. I don't negotiate with terrorists. I will find my own way to save my son. One that doesn't benefit you. I love Paris, almost as much as they do. And I refuse to be responsible for its downfall. Not when my son has worked so hard to protect it."

Salo frowned hard. _"You've spurned me, Gabriel Agreste. I'll take you next. Once I've finished with your son. This was your only chance to save him. But I'll let you say goodbye." _

The camera moved past Salo to Adrien who was lying on the ground. He was pale and looked exhausted. Gabriel didn't know if he'd ever seen his son look so tired. _"D-Dad…" _His voice was full of pain.

"Hang in there, Chat Noir. Just a little while longer."

_"I…I love you, dad." _

How long had it been since they shared those words? "I love you too, son."

The call ended.

Gabriel dropped the phone back to the coffee table and buried his face in his hands.

_"Sickening."_ Salo said from the screen. _"You'd think a man that rich wouldn't care about the money. But I guess I was wrong. He doesn't really love you. He was just trying to make it easier on you. How does it feel to be rejected by your own father, huh?"_

"Shut up, bitch." Gabriel muttered under his breath.

_"That was a question!"_ Salo shouted.

_"He didn't reject me,"_ he breathed. _"I wanted him to stay out of it." _

_"You're an idiot. But everyone knew that. Chat Noir has always been the dumb one. Isn't that right, Ladybug?"_

Marinette answered from where she lied on the floor, _"Chat Noir is a genius. He's goofy, but he's smart."_

_"He's an idiot!"_ Salo yelled back._ "He's a retarded piece of shit!"_

Gabriel trembled in anger. No one talked about his son like that! Once he found her, he'd—he'd—

Words did not exist that expressed the hatred Gabriel felt for this woman.

_"You're not trying to drown me out, are you?"_ Salo asked, getting in his face. _"Because I can do this all day, dumbass." _

_"We hate liars."_ He stated, firmly. _"And you're nothing but a liar." _

Salo laughed. _"You're a child. You don't think I can hurt you? Didn't you see what I did to your little Love Bug earlier? You looked so angry. Want to see if we can make her look that angry, too?"_ Then she looked over his head, passed the camera.

And so they watched as Adrien's ears were pierced. Gabriel closed his eyes and could only listen to the snap of the gun over and over, and Adrien's winces of pain.

The man sat Adrien up, as the camera zoomed in on the fresh piercings, his ears red.

_"We made Ladybug into a piggy, but I think we'll keep the cat theme for you. A mangy, feral alleycat."_

Gabriel stood, "I'm sorry, but this is…unbearable." He walked out, briskly, the sound of Adrien wincing and moaning echoing behind him.

Once in the hall and out of sight from the others, Gabriel collapsed.

He already regretted not agreeing to the ransom. What if the call wasn't traced correctly? What if it was for somewhere else? What if, what if….what if that really was his only chance to save his son?

"Mr. Agreste?" Nathalie asked.

"What is she doing to him now?" He asked, hollowly.

"He's…he's eating cat food."

Gabriel scoffed. "…could be worse. I guess."

"Can I get you some water?"

"Yes, thank you." He replied, swallowing thickly. When was the last time Adrien and Marinette had any water?

The sounds from the tv echoed in the silence.

_"You bitch…" _Adrien hissed.

_"Oh, you don't get to call me names."_

_"That wasn't one of your rules."_

_"I could crush you under my thumbs. I could break you, kill you with no problem. It's a mercy that I haven't already. Do you understand?"_

Adrien's gagging and choking was her only answer.

Gabriel covered his mouth, lest he sob and miss a detail.

Adrien was _dying_. He was alone and afraid and this woman was _killing_ him.

_"I thought you were smart enough not to pick a fight with me. Guess that's what I get for thinking so highly of a big dumb idiot."_

He heard buzzing from the room, knowing it was exactly the same with Marinette.

Nino came out into the hall and sat next to Gabriel, not making a sound. But he looked stricken and his eyes were wide with fear. He kept shaking his head.

_"There. Fitting, for you." _

"It says chatte." Nino said softly. "Just like Marinette."

_"Are you going to think twice before sassing me next time?"_

_"Yes ma'am."_

_"Good." _She snorted._ "Now, I've got other things to do. But we'll have more fun tonight…Suspend them for now._"

That seemed like the cue that the session was over, and both Gabriel and Nino returned to the room. But the stream was still on, while Marinette and Adrien hung alone.

At the sight of Adrien, Gabriel nearly flew into a rage.

_"Do you think they're watching?"_ Marinette asked softly.

"_They have to be._" Adrien gestured towards a camera with his head. _"They're broadcasting us to all of France."_

_"Yeah…"_

_"How's your nose?"_ Adrien asked.

_"It hurts. How're your ears?"_

_"Hurts."_

Then they grew silent. No message ever appeared, and no one came back in the room.

Detective Bertony put his computer away. "Thank you all for your time. Is there someone I can contact when we have more information?"

"Here's my business card." Gabriel stated, handing it to the man.

"Thank you. I'll let you know the minute we have anything. I sent the coordinates to my department, and they're sending some men here. Once I have back up, we'll raid the place."

Tom wrapped an arm around his wife and hugged her a little closer. This was good news. Their nightmare was almost over.

"Where exactly did these coordinates come from?"

"Oh, around Montparnasse. I don't have an address, just coordinates."

"Thank you."

"One more thing," the detective warned. "I mentioned earlier that Salo and Savauge have dirt everyone. I would strongly caution against telling anyone that Europol is involved, especially my name. With stuff like this, you never know who you can trust."

Gabriel couldn't help but wonder if this would be a very different conversation if they all knew that _Hawkmoth_ was listening.

The detective nodded his head, and then left.

The assembled were left with a weird feeling. Sickened and disheartened by what they had seen, and yet, hopeful that their children and friends could be home by bedtime.

Could it be so easy?

Gabriel looked at the kids. "Adrien…he always tried to go to school, no matter what. Is that something you two want to do?"

Alya and Nino looked at each other, both in various stages of grief.

"It…might help get our minds off of it for a while." Nino supposed.

"And we should see how the others are doing."

"Alright, Adrien's bodyguard will accompany you. Remember what the detective said."

"Mum's the word." Alya said with a little smirk.

Sabine yawned.

"Why don't you take a nap, darling?" Tom asked. "You've been up all night."

"But—"

"I'll send Nathalie if I hear anything." Gabriel assured.

Sabine smiled at him. "Thank you Gabriel, you've been so kind and helpful to us. How can we ever repay you?"

He offered a smile back, "I'm just glad we get along. No repayment required."

"What is your favorite flavor of macaroon?" Tom asked.

Gabriel chuckled. "Well, if you insist. It's raspberry."

"Mind if I use your kitchen?"

"Be my guest."

Once the Dupain-Chengs departed, Gabriel let his pleasant host act disappear. "Nathalie."

"Sir."

"I will leave my phone with you. Let me know if the detective calls."

"Of course sir."

—

After all he had learned, Hawkmoth returned to his lair, ready to start fresh. He had a general location now! Montparnasse! Still a highly populated area, but it was significantly smaller.

Montparnasse wasn't a problem area. It wasn't even residential or industrial. No large warehouses, no abandoned buildings that he could think of. An art hub, with lots of theaters and museums, quaint cafes and bars.

An ideal hiding place, really.

He reached out, zoning in on the area. Feeling the emotions, listening.

Pain. Anguish. Sadness.

Could it be them? Could it possibly be?!

He summoned a butterfly, and evilized it, then let it go.

A scout, this time. But if this feeling was right…

He went with the akuma, feeling the emotions get stronger and stronger as the akuma neared. Then they multiplied. Pain. So much pain. So many people in pain!

Something was wrong.

This wasn't the pain of people being tortured.

This was…

"A hospital." He groaned. Stupid.

He called the akuma back, frustrated. He knew there were hospitals over there. And the emotions they cause were like a signal jammer. He couldn't feel anything outside of them without knowing what he was looking for.

Frustrated, angry, and ashamed, he detransformed, and hoped that the detective would have some good news soon.

—

Reminder: This pic will have NO sexual torture, not even off screen. There will be the threat of it, but it won't actually happen. I just don't like that.

I can't stress enough how disgusting of a movie 'Salo 120 Days of Sodom' is. I wouldn't even look it up. It's up there with 'Human Centipede' as far as gross horror goes. Critics say it's worse than that too. I've never seen it, and I don't want to be responsible for anyone being traumatized by it.


	12. Investigating

Rena Rouge and Carapace take the spotlight!

—

Alya and Nino, now both dressed and ready for the day, rode to school in the Agreste car.

"This is what it must feel like for Adrien, on the way to school." Alya said softly.

The ride was quiet, as the Gorilla was a silent man.

"Yeah...got any tunes?" Asked Nino.

The man grunted, but reached over and tapped a preset on the console.

Jagged Stone started playing.

"Yep, this is Adrien's ride." Nino laughed a little.

At school, the Gorilla dropped them off, and then went to go park.

Students milling around all noticed the Agreste car arrive, and stopped to look with curiosity. Seeing Alya and Nino exit just made sense, and they carried on without another thought.

Hand in hand, Alya and Nino went into the school and to their lockers. Their classmates weren't hanging out in the commons, so it was a guess that they were all together in the classroom, probably taking Mr. Agreste's advice to heart.

As they put their backpacks away, there was a soft clearing of the throat from Alya's pocket.

Trixx was peaking out, and then gestured his head outside.

Oh yeah! They had their Miraculous!

Surely the teacher would understand if they didn't show up to class right away, right?

—

Rena Rouge and Carapace crouched on a roof, across the street, careful to keep out of sight of the pedestrians.

"So, where do we start?" Asked Carapace. "Do we want to get Chloe?"

"Not yet. We haven't talked to her at all to see what state she's in…No, I think we should go to Montparnasse and check in with the detective."

"Do you think he's trustworthy?"

"I'm…not sure. I think so. I hope so."

"Well, he said the coordinates led over to Montparnasse, right? Let's go and see if we can stalk them! If they're on our side, then we can help them out."

Rena Rouge was quiet, thinking.

He took her silence as hesitation. "No?"

"I mean, yeah, we should." She clarified. "It's just...being Rena Rouge was fun. Fighting side by side with my hero, fighting ridiculous villains. But this...this is sobering. These aren't wacky villains that control pigeons or turn people into ice cream. These are evil humans that like to kill and are good at it. It's just...scary."

"Like that scene in the Incredibles." Carapace said.

"What?"

"The scene where they're in the cave? And the mom says something like, 'these aren't like the bad guys from your cartoons. They won't hesitate to kill you just because you're children.'"

"Yeah," she laughed hollowly. "Exactly like that."

"Well, Dash and Violet joined the fight anyway."

"Yeah but…we don't actually have superpowers. Just…suits with a charge. A charge that can _run out_." She clenched her eyes shut. "If Ladybug and Chat Noir couldn't beat this woman, what chance do we have?"

Carapace took her hands. "Babe. Look at me."

She did.

"Ladybug and Chat Noir had no idea she was after them. But Salo has no idea that _we're _after _her_."

That did ease her mind, at least a little.

"Aren't you scared?" She asked.

"Oh I'm petrified!" Carapace laughed. "And if it was anyone other than you on this roof, I would be gone. Home. Under my covers."

She snickered.

"But…I have you. My partner. And…I suddenly remembered that scene from Wonder Woman, where they're in the trenches? She literally goes up against machine guns with a shield. She wasn't fighting crazy supervillians with wacky powers. Just…trained men with guns. And—and Captain America! He was fighting Nazis!"

Strength came back into her limbs, and she sat up a little straighter.

"You have my shelter, my shield. I will protect you." He kissed her lips gently. "Now, are you ready to save our best friends?"

Rena Rouge smiled wildly. "Absolutely."

—

The run to Montparnasse wasn't too long, considering they were leaping across rooftops.

Despite Fu's warning to lay low, they were spotted by civilians pretty quickly.

"Look! It's Rena Rouge and Carapace!"

"They must be looking for Ladybug and Chat Noir!"

"Go team go!"

It was nice to have people cheering them on, and Alya felt a little stronger.

They closer they drew to Montparnasse, the more stealth they tried to practice. It would be awful if Salo found out they were nearby and looking. Their entire plan of action would be ruined.

"Look!" Rena pointed out three black utility vans driving together towards the north end of the district. "That's either Europol or more of Salo's men, I'm sure of it."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Fox intuition."

"That's not a thing."

"Let's just follow and see!"

Sure enough, the vans all came to stop outside a dilapidated apartment building. Though the rest of the buildings were nice enough, this one was just a little grungy. The windows were either painted, or boarded up. The door was covered with a sign that simply said 'condemned'.

A needle in a haystack.

Men exited the vans, dressed in bullet proof vests and all black. They all kind of looked similar, but one stood out among them, a man with an eye-patch.

"Secure the perimeter, make sure no one can come in or out unnoticed."

So they got to work, blocking off the streets from by standers and surrounding the building.

"Okay," said Carapace, "I feel like we can trust them now."

"You didn't before?"

"It was the whole eye-patch thing that threw me off. Only villains have eye-patches."

"That's rude. My uncle has an eye-patch."

"He's also in prison."

"Other uncle."

"Your point?"

"Didn't you hear? Salo's the reason he has that patch in the first place."

"What? How do you know?"

"She was widowed four times, after she stabbed her first husband in the eye with a butter knife!"

"How do you know he was talking about himself?!"

"Fox intuition!"

"That's not a thing!"

"Hey!" A voice shouted up to them. "What are you two doing up there?!" It was the detective.

"Whoops." Said Carapace. He and Rena descended to the street, approaching the group of officers. They stood tall, and tried to appear as authoritative as possible.

"Detective Bertony?" Rena Rouge asked.

The man became defensive, frowning. "How did you know my name?"

"I'm Rena Rouge, and this is Carapace."

"Yes, the auxiliary heroes for Ladybug and Chat Noir. It's hard to forget you."

"Alya Cesaire, author of the Ladyblog, told us what you discovered, and we're here to help."

The detective groaned, "told them not to tell—" then he sighed. "No, you know what? It's fine. We can use the extra help. And...I can assume you're trustworthy. Given your affiliation with the victims."

Hearing Adrien and Marinette referred to as 'victims' was like a punch to the gut.

"Ladybug wouldn't have entrusted us with Miraculous if we weren't." Carapace said firmly.

The detective breathed a sigh of relief. "Alright, I'll bite. Here's a radio, would you two be willing to go in first? We can get bullet vests for you too, if you need it."

Rena smiled sheepishly. "I'll take a vest. I haven't tested to see if the suit bullet proof, and I'm not keen on finding out today."

"Radio us if you find anything. Anything at all."

Rena nodded, securing the vest and putting the radio in her front pocket.

He rested a hand on her arm. "You're being extremely brave, but please, call for back up. I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to you too."

"We'll be careful." She assured. "Ready partner?"

He nodded once and they headed to the door.

With their super strength, it too nothing to break the door down, dust on the floor flying up in the action.

Rena turned on her lapel flashlight, since it was so dark.

The building was a mess. Trash littered the floor, the labels on cans and chip bags looked dated, like from the 90's. There were holes in the walls, where the dry wall had crumbled and only wooden slats remained.

They paused and listened, straining to hear any noise.

There was nothing.

"Work our way up?" Asked Rena.

"Sounds as good of a plan as any other."

Carefully and quietly, they made their way through the building. Some rooms had gross furniture, some were completely bare. But there was a healthy spread of burnt spoons, used syringes, and razor blades.

"A drug den," said Rena simply. She turned on the radio, and stated, "we finished our sweep of the first floor. There's a lot of drug paraphernalia. No sign of anyone being here recently."

_"Copy that, move onto the next floor." _

"Roger dodger."

"Wait," Said Carapace, nodding at a grisly door under the stairs. "Let's check the basement."

She shuttered, "yeah, just stay close."

The stairs creaked madly with each step, giving up any semblance of stealth they had. It was only a few steps before they came to the bottom. It was totally dark, cold, and stank like mold.

"How are your allergies?" Asked Rena.

"I'm probably going to have hives everywhere, but I'm not worried about that right now."

They wandered their way further in, Alya's light landing on the heavily graffitied walls, stained mattresses, and used condoms.

"This isn't right," she said suddenly.

"What do you mean?"

"Can you pull up the site on your phone?"

Having turned into the turtle, Nino's phone had merged into his shield, and he was able to pull up the stream. Adrien and Marinette were still suspended from chains.  
Rena pointed at the background. "Look at the walls. They're made of concrete, old concrete. But there's no graffiti. They're totally bare. All the walls we've passed have been spray painted somehow."

"Maybe…there's a room that was off limits to the artists?" He asked hopefully.

She shown her light in the last few rooms, noting much of the same. A drug den from some 20 odd years ago. "Let's go back up." She spoke into her radio, "basement is clear. Graffitied walls, and dirty mattresses."

_"Nothing looks like it's being used?" _

"Not by people, rats maybe." As she said that, a little black blob ran by her feet and she shrieked.

_"Rena Rouge! Come in! What is it?" _

"Sorry! Sorry! It was just a rat!"

She heard some chuckling from the other end, like the other officers were laughing at her expense.

_"You still alright?"_ The detective asked.

"Fine, fine. We're going upstairs now."

They returned to the first floor, and then travelled the steps to the second floor. A door closed on the end of the stairwell, with a padlock in place.

"I got this," Said Carapace, driving his shield into the door.

Luckily the hinges were so old the whole door came off the frame with a clatter, again, shattering the element of surprise.

This hallway was much, much different from the floor below. Cables ran every which way, along the floors, over boxes, even some stringing across the hall.

Rena turned on her radio. "We found something on the second floor. Lots of cables…not sure what else."

"Copy. We'll move in."

"You know," said Carapace, walking slowly down the hall, to where all the cables were leading. "I'm thinking of another movie right now."

"What's that?"

"Incredibles 2, when Elastigal finds that old apartment building with all the cables in it from the evil computer guy?"

"Yeah…?"

"And it turns out it was just a decoy?"

Rena stopped. "What…what makes you think that?"

"Turtle intuition?"

"Shut up."

They reached the end of the hall, standing on either side of the door.

"Ready? On three…one…two…three!"

Carapace busted down the door, while Rena shouted behind him. "Freeze!"

There was no one in the room.

No one anymore, at least.

But there were dozens of computers lined up along the walls. Website servers. Huge fans were blowing on them, but the room was still incredibly hot.

In the middle of them all was a large antenna.

"What!" Rena shouted in anger.

"This must be the website hub. They'd need this many servers with the amount of traffic they get."

"Okay, so it's a clue! But I didn't want a clue! I wanted my best friend! I want—" Rena clenched her fists as the sound of footsteps clambered up the steps.

Men flooded into the room, already getting to work inspecting the equipment and plugging in.

Rena ghosted past all of them and into a room down the hall that was less crowded with equipment. Carapace was quick to follow.

"Alya—"

"It was supposed to be over by now! It's been…24 hours." She shook her head. "A full day. How many more are our friends going to have to suffer through in that—that hell!?"

"Al…"

"We slept in a bed last night! We had coffee and croissants…I got to take a shower and I got to use a very nice toilet! What about them!? When was the last thing they ate? Drank? Where do they sleep?!"

Carapace laid his hands on her shoulders, gripping her tightly. "Al. I get it." By the hoarseness in his voice, she couldn't doubt him. "I'm worried about them too." Then he pulled her into a sure hug, holding her while she fought to keep the tears at bay.

She was Rena Rouge right now. She couldn't cry.

They didn't know how long they had been holding each other until there was a knock at the door. "Sorry, I hope I'm not interrupting."

Rena wiped under her eye. "No…just…just expressing some disappointment."

"Well, the good news is that this is where that call came from. This is also the server for their website."

"…what's the bad news?"

"The bad news is that the call was sent through wifi. And the website is updated through an FTP client. After trying to trace the IP address, we found thousands of them that could be potential matches. Our best guess is that they're using a VPN. It's…it's not likely that we'll be able to track them from here."

Rena shut her eyes tight, bringing her fist up to her mouth. Anger? Grief? Blackened rage? She was a whirlwind of emotion. Finally, she spoke, "So, what? This was all a waste?"

"I wouldn't call it a waste. We might not find anything right away, but we'll monitor their activity. They'll make a mistake. And if the server goes down, they'll have to come back and fix it. We'll be here waiting. This is a good lead."

Rena didn't know if she should bare to hope. "Okay." She breathed, "we…we have to go now."

"I understand. I'll be sure to update our mutual acquaintance when I have more information for you."

Without another word, they left. Hearts heavy, and hope draining.

—

My knowledge of how websites work is pretty sad. Don't grill me.

We may be going back to the Adrien and Marinette next chapter. But I haven't decided yet.


	13. Resisting

Sorry this chapter is a day late. Busy weekend.

I thought I was going back to torture, but I have more I want to tell during this time stretch. Later in this fic, I anticipate there will be a few back to back chapters of torture. Since I won't always show them from the watcher's point of view.

—

Alya and Nino returned to school. It was nearing lunch time, but everyone was still in class, allowing Rena Rouge and Carapace to slip into their respective bathrooms undetected.

"Hey pretty girl," said Trixx sympathetically, "how you doing?"

"I…I'm not great."

"That's okay." The little fox said, nuzzling her cheek. "It's okay to be upset, especially in this situation. But you've got me, Nino, Wayzz, and the parents."

Alya smiled a little at that. "Thanks Trixx. It's nice to have encouragement in my pocket."

The bell rang, indicating that lunch was starting and students would be coming out soon.  
The fox grinned back and then swooped into his hiding place.

Nino was waiting for her outside, and held out his hand as she approached.

She worried her lip, "hey um…I'm…I'm not sure if I'm up to going to class. After all that…"

"I think we should." Nino said simply. "Our classmates know what's happening, and they know how close we are. I think it's best if we're around a group of people that can support us, rather than be alone in Adrien's room."

She thought about it for a moment, and then agreed. "I'll give it a shot."

"Let's see if we can find a group to tag along with to lunch, huh?"

Coming back into the courtyard, they noticed plenty of schoolmates milling around and chatting. Upper classmen, lower classmen, other classes, they were all just together in the courtyard. But the aura was rather somber.

In one such circle were several students, including Kim, Mylene, Rose, and Juleka (unfortunately, the most gullible group in the class) gathered around a bench.

"Hey guys," said Nino, approaching. Though his voice stopped when realized someone else was talking.

Lila.

"Of course, the FBI even came to talk to me! All the way from the U.S.! Since I _am_ Ladybug's best friend, I would be a large target. They thought that maybe Salo would try to use me against them. But as Rena Rouge, I would be able to defend myself. I'm actually stronger than Ladybug and Chat Noir, but that power is exhausting, so I have to just be an auxiliary member."

Nino cleared his throat, and the group parted like the red sea, revealing Lila who looked smug and not the least bit stricken. Despite what they _knew_ she saw yesterday.

"You guys aren't actually believing this garbage, are you?" Nino asked with malice.

It's exactly what Alya was thinking, but she was overcome with so much rage, she wasn't able to articulate any sentences.

"Well…" began Mylene. "No one knows who Rena Rouge is…"

"It's not her." Said Alya, shaking.

"How do you know?" Asked Kim. "Ladybug and Chat Noir don't know each other's identities, so maybe whoever gave them their Miraculous also gave Lila one."

Alya tightened her fist. "I talked to Ladybug about this. Only the Ladybug and Black Cat where given by…the Guardian. Ladybug has dealt all the others. And I'm 100% certain she didn't give it to you."

"What's your proof?" Asked Kim, challenging her.

"What's hers!?" Alya shrieked. "She admitted to lying about Marinette taking those photos! Why are any of you giving her the time of day?!"

Lila had that faux look of concern on her face. "Why Alya, you mean you didn't know?"

"…know what?" Alya asked, with her heart in her shoes.

"Marinette's not really Ladybug. And Adrien isn't Chat Noir. The stream is a performance piece. I thought, surely you would know! I know the director and he told me all about—"

The next second, Lila was on the ground, again, her nose bleeding like a fountain.

"Don't. You. Dare." Alya seethed. "You bitch."

People were backing away from the two quickly, eyes to the sky.

"Alya!" Lila cried out. "You need to calm down! It's not that big of a deal!"

"You're…a piece…of shit." Alya managed out between her grit teeth and heavy sobs. "It is a big deal! I don't know if you live in some sort of fantasy or delusion, but you will not drag everyone else into it! Marinette and Adrien, _Ladybug and Chat Noir_, are in _hell_, being tortured on live stream and you have—you have the **_gaul_** to make it about you! You disgust me! I can't believe I ever listened to you!"

"Alya!" Nino shouted, startling her.

But it wasn't enough warning. A long forgotten chill ran down her spine and purple light covered her vision.

_"So, we meet again, Miss Cesaire." _Hawkmoth's voice was thick with concern, and false comfort.

"No!" Alya shouted, gripping her head. "Leave me alone! I won't—I won't listen to you! I—I can't! They need me!"

_"They certainly do. And I'm going to help you save them." _

"I will never work with you! Leave me alone! **_Leave me alone!_**"

The butterfly flew out of the fox pendant around her neck, and flapped around in the air innocently. It waited a moment, and then departed from wince it came.

Alya fell to her knees, sobbing. Nino was at her side instantly, holding her and trying to stay calm himself, though he was boiling inside.

No one spoke for a moment, but all were eager to hear who would speak up.

Lila recovered first. "Look Alya. I'm really sorry. I know it's hard to find out that your friendship with someone...isn't as mutual as you thought. Maybe Marinette just didn't tell you. I know her and I don't see eye to eye after I caught her stalking Adrien, but I swear this all isn't as horrible as it seems."

"That's enough," a sharp voice spoke.

A young woman, a fellow student, stepped into the group. Usually one to keep her head down, but never one to back away from the fight. And Lila sure looked like the enemy here.

Kagami Tsurugi crossed her arms and stared Lila down with a scowl. "Can't you see you're hurting them?"

Lila twitched her eyebrow at the appearance of this new foe. "I don't know what you mean! Alya's thinking the worst, but it really is a performance piece. A prank, really."

"I meant, you're not just hurting those two, but Adrien and Marinette."

Lila scoffed. "I just thought everyone deserved the truth!"

"They do!" Kagami barked. "And you're not giving it to them!"

"I swear I am!"

"Then swear to Mr. Agreste!" Kagami spat. "He called my mother this morning to cancel a meeting, and he was extremely upset. Of course he has no idea where Adrien is, and he's beside himself!"

"Oh, Mr. Agreste didn't know about it? I'll make sure to let him know."

Kagami barked out a laugh. "You're really trying to say that Mr. Agreste didn't know about an activity that Adrien was participating in? One on such a national scale? Yeah right."

"M-maybe the director forgot to mention it?"

Kagami rolled her eyes. "You're pathetic. Not only do you refuse to admit to your failures, you refuse to understand that the world doesn't revolve around you. I thought you were in love with Adrien."

"I-I-I am! We're dating! Look!" She took out her phone, where the picture of her kissing Adrien on the cheek shone as her wallpaper.

"You already used that against me." Kagami said blankly, "that photo is a couple years old now. That's the only photo of you two together?"

"I-I...I was just—"

"Lying. Wasting everyone's time. Giving false hope. Taking attention away from where it's supposed to belong. You _scum_."

Lila clenched her fists in anger, and then stalked off in rage.

Kagami sighed, her shoulders releasing from her tight hold.

"That was...really cool." Nino stated, still kneeling on the ground. Alya wasn't crying anymore thankfully.

"Thank you, for that." She stated, wiping her eyes. "I don't usually have a hard time arguing with people, but this is..." Alya shook her head. "Lila is so good at improvising lies. It makes it impossible to convince people otherwise...Marinette was never able to."

Kagami held her hands out. "Come on. We're going to lunch. I'm Kagami Tsurugi."

"Yeah," said Alya, automatically taking her hand. "Alya Cesaire."

"Nino Lahiffe."

—

Alya and Nino decided to return to the Agreste mansion for lunch, mostly just to check in with Tom and Sabine.

Nathalie looked at the three that entered, and nodded to Kagami. "I hope you all brought your appetites." She said dryly, leading them to the dining room.

"Huh?"

Inside, there were platters and platters of pastries and breads of all sorts of varieties.

Tom was bringing out another tray from the kitchen. "Oh! You're back! Please kids, feel free to help yourselves!"

"Did you make all of this, Mr. Dupain?" Asked Nino.

"Ah, Yeah...But, I think I may have gone a bit overboard. I can't sit still! I know I can't do anything to help, but I'm just—I can't just sit around worrying. We'll be giving whatever we don't eat to the soup kitchen, but feel free to take whatever you want back with you." Then he noticed Kagami. "Ah, sorry, I don't believe we've met. I'm Tom, Marinette's father."

"Kagami. Adrien's friend."

"Well, I'll go get Sabine and we'll all have a proper meal. We've got stuff for sandwiches! I've got sliced ham and roast beef and mustard and so many cheeses..." he continued to talk as he left the room.

Kagami smiled softly as he left. "Marinette is a lot like her parents then."

"Yeah, they're crazy close." Nino supplied, "I'm surprised they're taking this so well."

"You think this is taking it well?" Asked Alya, gesturing to the spread.

Nino shrugged.

They both sat at the table, and glanced through the food. As much as they hated to admit it, they were both hungry from their morning activities.

Despite what they had seen before that.

"It's okay, Kagami, come and sit down." Nino beckoned.

The girl nodded at took a seat as well.

Tom returned with yet another platter, of sandwich fixings, before he left again without a word, his mind seemingly in another place.

"So…" began Alya. "Not that I'm complaining or anything, but why did you want to have lunch with us?"

"To talk." Kagami answered simply, cutting into a ciabatta roll with a knife.

"About something specific, or are you just lonely?"

She paused, then answered, "A little of both, I think." She looked to Alya, who was very much still suffering from the after effects of her near akumatization. "I've seen you two the most, on their instagrams. You're the ones they're the most close too. I knew if I needed to talk to someone, surely I could trust you."

Alya offered a sad little smile. "I see. We…we'll listen if you need us to, but…" She sighed. "It's hard."

"I know." Kagami put her sandwich down, having taken two bites. She wasn't that hungry anyways. "I thought—I thought I loved Adrien."

Nino choked on his sandwich. "Oh dude, sorry!" He coughed. "I'm super bad in the love department."

Kagami shook her head. "I don't need advice. I just…I've been thinking about things. All my life, I've had to strive for perfection. Grades, arts, fencing…everything. So, naturally, when it came to having a crush, it fell on Adrien. He was…perfect. Gorgeous, kind, smart, talented…everything I ever could have wanted. To find out that…that this whole time, he's been Chat Noir…it felt like I was being lied to."

Nino folded his hands in front of him. "Yeah…it felt like that for me for a little bit. Just long enough for it to sink in that he had hid his identity from me for so long, before it was replaced with worry for his well being."

Kagami looked at her plate. "You're a better friend than I. I…I was only angry. I felt deceived. Chat Noir…he's not bad. He's a hero, of course, but…he's reckless, goofy, and just…doesn't take things seriously. Those I qualities I resent in people." She rubbed under her eye. "If his secret was more…_secret_, I guess, more private, that is, I might not have been so angry. Like if he was a closeted alcoholic, or he was a messy person, I might not have been so mad. But because he's shown to be two different people, so publicly…I felt like I didn't know who my friend was. Who was the real Adrien? The model, or the superhero?" She shook her head. "Then I realized that I didn't actually love him at all. I idolized him. I fantasized being together, because I thought we would be good together. But that's what I get for putting him on a pedestal.

"I realize that saying all of this is…extremely selfish and shallow. Adrien doesn't deserve that. He needs people that love and support both sides of him, in and out of the mask. Now, more than ever. And…and I know I'm not the only person who's felt this way. All over the internet, girls are talking about how disappointed they are to find out who he is…if I knew how to hack, I'd erase all those comments before Adrien got the chance to see them. And…and Marinette. She deserves so much of my respect. She…she had, or still has, a crush on Adrien, and she still volunteered to accompany him on a date with me, because he was nervous. She put her own heart on the line for the comfort of her friend. She really is Ladybug."

"You don't have to beat yourself up so much." Said Alya, finally breaking her silence. "You deserve someone that you can love wholly and completely, without their flaws feeling like they're 'tainting perfection'."

"That…would be nice…but it's not going to happen. I'm sorry if what I said offended you. It know it must be hard to hear someone talk about your friend like that…"

"Do you hate him?" Asked Nino. "Now, with everything you know?"

Kagami shook her head easily. "No. But now, more than ever, I realize that I've never really been a good friend. To either of them. So I want to help. In any way I can."

Alya sighed in relief. "Well…directly, there's not much we can do. We can watch the streams, and look and listen for clues and report them to investigators. But we don't have the resources to do more than that."

"I see…"

"But," said Alya, with a little more hope in her voice. "There is something we can do. There's someone out there spreading lies and trying to make this whole thing seem not as bad as it actually is."

"You mean that Lila girl?"

"Yep. Most of our class knows better, since we were basically all together when the stream went live. But…some are still gullible. We have to stop her now. I took down her interview where she claimed to be Ladybug's best friend, but a lot of people saw that. No doubt, reporters will try to find her to ask questions. That would…that would be devastating."

Kagami stood, taking her sandwich and wrapping it up in a napkin. "I will take care of it. It seems like Lila is a sore topic for you."

"A sore topic is putting it nicely. She incites me to violence."

"And that doesn't help anybody."

"Exactly. Thanks…Sorry we couldn't really make you feel better about Adrien." Alya sighed.

But Kagami had a soft smile on her face. "I'll get over it myself. For now, I just want to do what's right." She nodded her head. "Give my thanks to Mr. Dupain for the sandwich. The bread is fantastic."

It was at that moment that Tom came back out, this time with a stack of boxes. "Oh are you leaving? Here, take this and fill it with whatever looks good. Take it home for your family."

Kagami couldn't help but giggle a little. The man was so warm and kind.

It was reassuring to know that when Adrien and Marinette got out, they'd have a man like him to take care of them.

Not that she thought badly of Gabriel, of course. But she couldn't imagine him having good bedside manners.

She would also need to work on her stoic disposition. Anything to get Adrien to smile again.

—

After lunch, Alya and Nino returned to school. Strengthened by her conversation with Kagami, Alya felt a little better. She would go and talk to the other classmates to see what they were believing in this mess.

Nino walked with her, holding her hand. Though he didn't say much until they reached the locker room. "Hey Al?"

"Yeah, babe?"

"What…what did Hawkmoth say to you earlier? Do you remember?"

She closed her locker, biting her lip in thought. "I do. It's just…it's weird."

"What?"

"He called me by my name. I was sure that he addressed people as their akumatized names."

"Oh? What else did he say?"

"I told him to go away, and that they needed me. He said 'indeed they do, and I want to help you find them.'"

Nino frowned in thought. "That…that is weird. And you'd think he'd have plenty of people to akumatize. Watching the stream had been more upsetting than listening to Lila."

"Yeah, you're right." Alya took out her phone and took down some notes. "I wonder…what Hawkmoth is thinking."

"He's probably thinking of the best way to get those miraculous while causing the least amount of damage, since there is no Ladybug to fix things."

She typed it out. "That's a good theory. For now, we'll keep our eyes peeled for akumas. He ought to be looking for another victim soon." She turned to leave the room, but managed to bump into someone, knocking their books out of their hands.

"I'm so sorry!" Alya gasped.

"It's fine Alya." Said the girl. Though Alya didn't recognize her at first. Was it another new student?

Blonde hair tied up in a messy bun, track pants, and a hoodie.

"Do I know you?" Alya asked.

The other student looked up with a weak glare. "Oh please, I know I look horrible. But it's not _that_ bad."

Alya's eyes blew wide. "_Chloe?_"

"Who else?"

"I just…I've never seen you without makeup before. It was…jarring."

"Yeah well…I didn't feel like putting on makeup, or doing my hair, or wearing a cute outfit…because…because Adrien and Marinette probably haven't gotten to even take a shower, or—or brush their hair…" She let out a sob.

"Oh Chloe…" Alya found herself saying with great sympathy.

"No. Don't talk to me like that. Please just…keep being sassy. Let me have some normalcy for a little while."

"Okay." Agreed Alya. She cleared her throat. "Uh, geez Chloe, can you fit any more rats up in that bun?"

Chloe's response was watery. "Can you fit any more in yours?"

Alya gave her a little smile. "We'll work on it."

—

In the classroom, Alya was swarmed by classmates, all running to hug her. Rose was bawling her eyes out. "Alya! I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have listened to Lila! I was—I was just so scared for Marinette and Adrien and to hear that they weren't actually in trouble was so nice and-and—!"

Alya hugged her tightly. "It's okay Rose. I understand. I almost wanted to believe her too. But…That's not fair to Adrien and Marinette."

"I feel stupid," said Kim. "For even giving her any attention. It's not gonna happen again."

"What did that bitch say this time?" asked Chloe.

"She was trying to convince people that Adrien and Marinette weren't actually being tortured. That they weren't actually Ladybug and Chat Noir, and that they were only doing a performance piece. When Alya called her out, Lila kept lying and Alya almost got akumatized."

Chloe seethed. "No one does that to my Adrikins! Of course he's Chat Noir! How could anyone doubt that he's so selfless and caring and wonderful and—he's a hero! And Dupain-Cheng—!" Her voice choked on a sob. "My daddy will be hearing about this! I'll get her banished from the city! No! The country!"

Alya had the smallest hint of a smile at that. "Now that, is something I'd like to see."

"Let's all make a pact." Said Nathaniel.

"Yeah, a blood oath." Said Alix, with gusto.

"No…" Nathaniel clarified. "I mean, let's just all swear from here on out to take everything Lila says with a grain of salt, and to do whatever we can to support Adrien and Marinette, now and when they get out…especially Marinette."

_Congratulations Lila, you made good on your threat. You've turned everyone against me, just like you said you would. But I'm ending things on my own terms. If you ever need me again, think twice._

Everyone seemed to remember her final words to them collectively. She only delivered them two days ago, but it already felt so long ago.

"Didn't Marinette say something about a threat?" Asked Alix, aloud.

"…maybe…there's more to Lila than we thought."

Juleka broke the silence, standing up and looking at her phone. "Uh, Alya…? Have you updated your blog?"

"No, I haven't even looked at it since this all happened. Why?"

"Uh…you should…"

Quickly, Alya took out her phone and opened her blog tab.

Right there on the front page, where everyone would see it, was a brand new post that she hadn't written at all. It was short, but the contents were chilling.

There was a link. And the caption stated, "Hawkmoth. We need to talk. —Salo."

—

I made Kagami kind of shallow. But I'm basing it off her behavior in Onee-chan.

And I'm going camping in a few days, so I'm taking a week off of this story. Who knows when the next update will be? Not me!


	14. Gasping

I'm back from vacation! I saw ten whole turtles! In the wild! It was awesome!

—

Warning: This chapter, we go back to Adrien and Marinette, and it is very dark. There is a conversation with Hawkmoth, and then after that, things get grim.

—

7:00 am.

As strange as it would seem, this was the most comfortable Adrien had been in the last 24 hours. The chain held his bum arm up so weight wasn't pulling on it. He wasn't in a small enclosed space, and he wasn't laying on hard dirty ground. The stage lights were warm as they beat down on him from all sides.

Finally, he could get some rest. Though again, rest was to loose term.

Marinette didn't bother him. She just watched from across him to make sure he was still breathing.

All that was left to do was wait. Wait for Salo to come back and inflict more pain. Wait for her to mess up, give someone a clue. Wait for the authorities or someone to find them.

She tried pulling at the chains, and tried to make her hand slide through the cuff, but it was solid, and cutting into her wrist the more she moved.

So her feeble escape plan ended prematurely.

8:00 am

There were people looking for them right? Mr. Agreste had certainly seemed like he had been following their tribulations. Her parents had been in that room too, right?

What about the others? What about Alya and Nino? The rest of their classmates?

With the way they had left things in the classroom, she wouldn't be surprised if they had abandoned them. At least her. Adrien didn't do anything wrong.

Well, neither did she, but sometimes that's enough to draw enemies.

What was Lila saying about her now? Not that it mattered anyways, but it was impossible to _not_ think about it.

_Don't let people who hate you take up real estate in your head._ That was something her mom had always said. Meaning not to give thought to how others have wronged you, if you can't do anything about it. It made more sense than 'forgive and forget'. Right now, Lila was none of her concern. And depending on what she was like when and if they got out, she may not ever be a problem again.

Marinette wanted to believe they would beat this foe like anything other. She wanted to believe that they'd fight the good fight. But without Miraculous, what could a model and a baker's daughter do? Sure, they had the brains of a superhero team, but what good were brains against guns?

9:00 am

She surveyed the room. There was one man sitting in the shadows, his reflective classes illuminated by the light of the computer screen. He hadn't so much as sneezed in the hours they had been here.

"Hey," Marinette called.

He didn't reply.

"Can I ask for water? Does Salo want us to die of dehydration?"

He finally turned to look at her. Then after a beat, he stood and went to Salo's table of horrors.

Marinette couldn't see what he was doing, but she heard him pouring something.

He came over with a glass of water, or so she hoped. It had a straw.

"This isn't poisoned, is it?" She frowned.

He only held it up to her, face impassive.

Well, If this was the opportunity to get a drink, she wasn't going to miss it.

Hesitantly, she took the straw and sucked up some water. Well, what was partly water. And partly something else? It burned and certainly didn't taste good. If anything, it dried her mouth out more.

"Ugh!" She shivered as the liquid sloshed uncomfortably in her empty stomach. "What is that?"

"Water." Said the man. "With a little Vodka. To kill the bacteria."

"What?"

"It's not tap water."

"Then...where did it come from?"

The man shrugged. He walked over to Adrien, smacking his face.

He blinked blearily, noting the glass and took a drink. He finished all the water, before he shuttered and coughed. Then, almost immediately, he fell back to sleep.

The man set down the glass, and meandered back to the computer, off frame. She could see as he moved, he had an earpiece in. Most likely to hear Salo's commands.

Even if the woman wasn't in the room, she was still in control of it.

11:00am

Marinette's stomach was growling quite loudly. She wouldn't be surprised if those at home watching could hear it.

Noon

In vain, she tried to swing her arms around, trying to get the feeling back in them. Her hands tingled unpleasantly and her arms trembled. She swallowed, trying to quell the dryness in her throat, but it did little good. She didn't bother asking for more water. Salo was going to make sure they didn't die until she wanted them to. She didn't want to make herself sick in the meantime.

1:00pm

She started to feel lightheaded and nauseous. There was a large chance it was the lack of food. On the other hand, she had had her arms raised above her head for the last few hours.

2:00pm

It was stifling under these lights. She needed more water, even with the alcohol in it.

3:00pm

There were at least four cameras in the room. One behind Adrien, pointed at her; one behind her, pointed at Adrien; one on their side, and one towards the ceiling looking down.

Marinette kept staring at the one behind Adrien, looking right in the lens. She imagined those who were watching. Her parents, Gabriel Agreste and Nathalie. Maybe her classmates. Fans. Children.

"Hey," she spoke to them. "If you're watching this, you…you're probably feeling a little hopeless. I don't blame you. I feel…pretty hopeless too. I mean, I'm…I'm stuck. I'm not sure how I'm going to get out of this. But…but Ladybug always saves the day, right?" She glanced away, choosing her words. "My name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I'm 17 years old, and my favorite color is pink. I'm the daughter of the best bakers in Paris, though I might be a little bias." She smiled slightly. "Before I became Ladybug, I was a normal girl, with a normal life. What made me extraordinary, was my willingness to help others, and my kindness. So Paris, I have a favor to ask:

"Be helpful and kind. Go out of your way do something nice for someone once a day. If you can do this for me, then I know Paris will be safe until we return."

She glanced over to Adrien, then the man at the computer, and then back at the camera. "Maman, Papa...I'm really really sorry I had to hide this from you. I didn't want to, and some days I thought about how much easer it would be if I just told you. How I could explain the lateness and absences, and my bad grades. But I just had to let you think I was a bad kid. It was for your safety, after all...but despite my best efforts, this still happened, and now you're in danger. Please get somewhere safe. Leave Paris if you have to. I love you so much. I promise I'll be out soon."

Her bit the inside of her cheek, hesitating, but then said, "Alya, I'm sorry too. You…you probably feel kinda betrayed right now. But, like I said, it was for your own safety. You were put in peril so many times because of me. How many more would that have been if Hawkmoth thought you knew my identity? After everything, I hope you finally believe me now...sorry, that was harsh. I...I'll forgive you, if you forgive me. Deal?"

Then she was out of words. What else could she possibly say? 'It's going to be okay?' Because she had no idea if it was.

4:00pm

She started to follow the cracks in the walls with her eyes. It was hard to see them in the shadows, but she'd follow a line until she couldn't any longer.

Then, her eyes ran into a letter. And another. And another. Squinting, she could sort of make out a word. Not one she immediately recognized, but it was a word none the less.

'Notausgang'

Marinette stared at it for a long time. Was it an acronym?

Adrien inhaled harshly, then squinted against the light. "My lady?" He whispered, his voice soft with sleep.

"I'm here kitty. Did you get some sleep?"

"Yeah, I…I was exhausted. Sorry to leave you alone."

"It's fine, Cat. You were awake alone last night. I say we're even."

"Did I miss anything?"

"Not really. I tried to give a pep talk to those watching us. But I don't know how genuine it sounded."

"I bet it was lovely, My Lady."

She smiled at him, longingly. She desperately wanted to wrap her arms around him and hold him for hours. Somewhere safe, where the Salo's and Lila's and Hawkmoth's of the world could never find them.

It was odd, staring at Adrien like this. It had nearly been a full 24 hours since they were revealed to each other, and now, he felt like a stranger to her, rather than Chat Noir or Adrien. Both. And Neither. She still loved him, of course, that was undeniable, but her view of him was skewed.

It didn't matter anyway. There was no point in asking the big questions right now. What were they now? How did this change their dynamic? If Chat loved Ladybug, did that mean—

"Notausgang." She blurted.

"Pardon?"

"Notausgang. Does that word sound familiar?"

He creased his brow, thinking. "No...it sounds German though. Why?"

"It's written on the wall behind you."

"Like Graffiti?"

"No...it looks like it's supposed to be there. Like a sign."

"A German sign on the wall? You don't think...we're in Germany, do you?"

She swallowed thickly. "I have no clue where we are, but...why else would there be German on the wall?"

"Well, maybe we're still in France. Maybe not Paris, but Alsace-Lorraine or..." he choked.

"Oh Kitty," she tried to console, though this revelation had shaken her too. If they weren't in Paris, what were the chances they'd be found? How likely would it be for Rena Rouge and Carapace to take trip to Germany without raising suspicion in their normal lives?

Did the authorities in Germany even care about Parisian superheroes?

6:00pm

The door opened with a loud creak.

Up until this moment, Marinette had been silently praying for Salo to come back and just get it over with, because the suspense was killing her. But now, her stomach was in her shoes and she was terrified.

"Well well well, how are we doing now? 12 hours is a long time to leave you hanging around. I'm so sorry, I meant to come back sooner, but I had errands to run."

She set a paper bag down on her table in the shadows.

"I heard your little speech, Ladybug. Very moving. I'm sure mommy and daddy loved to hear all about how you lied to them over and over for years. And the Ladyblogger! Oh, she must be absolutely crushed. Her best friend, her hero, lying selfishly. Dangling that one bit of knowledge that she always wanted just out of reach. What a friend!"

Marinette looked away, in an attempt to block out her lies.

"But I'd like to correct one thing, however. You told Paris to be kind and all that junk, to make sure it stays safe until you could come back. Sorry, Ladyliar, you're not leaving. Gabriel Agreste blew the only chance of Adrien getting out, and you…you have no chance. I have you right where I want you."

Marinette glared at her, her eyes full of malice and rebellion.

"So much spirit in you still. That's fine, we'll cure you of that soon enough."

Pasolini came over, undoing the chains that kept them hanging from the ceiling, and instead had their hands link behind their backs.

Adrien's bum arm flopped uselessly down, and a wince pulled from his mouth.

Another man came forward with two steel buckets, and placed them on the floor in front of them, upside down.

"Step up." Salo commanded.

They had to be careful, as the buckets wobbled with the uneven weight.

Marinette's flipped out underneath her, and she fell shoulder first on the ground.

"My lady!" Adrien called out, but he was swiftly silenced with an elbow to the gut.

"Get up." Salo demanded, standing above her.

Without the use of her arms, Marinette struggled to stand. Finally figuring out how to do so, she returned to her feet. The bucket was righted, and she stood back on it again, no fumbling this time.

Salo held her hands up like she was framing a picture. "Yes, yes this is all coming together."

With a little swing in her step and a hum on her lips, Salo waltz over to her table, and returned with two black cloth bags.

The first one, she brought over to Adrien, holding it open and bringing it towards his face.

"No…no, no please don't! Please!"

"Oh, what's wrong kitty cat? Afraid of the dark?"

Adrien didn't answer, just continued to stare with wide, fearful eyes.

"Or are we…_claw_-strophobic?" She grinned.

He never hated a pun. Until now. Was this woman going to ruin puns for him?

Without his consent, he whimpered, his lips trembling.

With a chuckle, she raised the hood again, ready to put it over his head.

"Incoming call ma'am." The man at the computer spoke.

Salo backed off, gleefully going towards him. "Oh, a call, hmm?"

"The facial recognition program found a match."

"Oh goody. We mustn't keep him waiting then!"

The large screen opposite of them blinked to life, and there, in a dark room, with a completely phlegmatic expression, stood Hawkmoth. The man who had spent years trying to kill them.

Marinette couldn't imagine this conversation going well.

"My my, took you long enough. I would have thought Hawkmoth would have the Ladyblog as the home screen on his computer."

"_Did you summon me to antagonize me?_"

"Summon you? What, like you're some sort of demon? Some kind of _god_?"

He remained emotionless.

"Your face says I'm wasting your time, but your eyes say you're jealous."

"_Get on with it._"

She chuckled, "And impatient too. No wonder you always lost."

She walked over to the safe, entering a combination that Marinette couldn't quite make out. Then she walked to the camera and held out her hand. "Here, the Ladybug earrings and the Black Cat ring. Bonafide jewels of magic. Now, what will you give me for them?"

Hawkmoth narrowed his eyes.

"I have no idea what you want with these. I can't see the appeal of a grown man running around playing superhero. Perhaps you want the Black Cat to use for heists? But I couldn't fathom a use for the Ladybug earrings. Unless you want them to be a circus performer."

Marinette bit her lip, she desperately hoped that Hawkmoth wouldn't say anything about the ultimate power of their combination.

Luckily, Hawkmoth just kept his mouth shut, and continued to glare with his steely expression.

"You know, in bartering, there has to actually be, you know…_bartering_."

"_What about the children?_" He asked. "_If I want the gems, and those two along with them. What's the price?_"

Salo barked out a laugh. "You-you want—oh that's rich! What? You want to torture them yourself?" She shook her head. "No can do, Hawkman. I have business with them. But that was a good joke." She wiped a pretend tear from her eyes. "Look, these are useless to me. I have all the power anyone could ever want. I'm being reasonable by offering these to you first, since you so desperately want them. But if you don't want them, then I'll just put them for auction up online. You can try to get them there, before some other yahoo outbids you. So, do you want them, or not?"

Hawkmoth's lip twitched in a scowl. "_Oh, I want them. But I'm not making any deals with you. I abhor torture._"

She scoffed. "Oh yeah, and what would you have done with these two if you had gotten their miraculous on your own?"

"I_ would have sent them home. I have nothing against them personally. It is their job to fight the akuma. And once relieved of that duty, they are free to go. In the same way, they have a duty to Paris to stop criminals. But now they're only teenagers. What you're doing goes beyond revenge, it's insanity._"

"Oh, so now the terrorist is trying to lecture me? You're playing all high and mighty, now that you're not the villain anymore. But I guarantee you, if it was you verses them, and the Miraculous were in sight, you would do anything, including killing them, to get them. Don't talk to me about insanity."

Hawkmoth grit his teeth in anger, a fire of hatred burning in his eyes. "_I will be taking those Miraculous on my own._"

"I'd love to see you try. Tell you what, I won't put these up for auction until I've disposed of these two maggots. Go ahead, akumatize any random, innocent civilian you want and send them to me. But unlike them," she thrust a thumb over her shoulder, "I won't hesitate to kill your little minions."

Hawkmoth 'hmph'ed and the call ended.

Salo laughed. "What a moron! No wonder he loses all the battles. No strategy, no thinking, just 'I'm gonna get them'. It's pretty sad actually. You weren't even good heroes, just better than the villains you faced."

Marinette had basically tuned out all of Salo's blathering. She was more focused on what Hawkmoth had said. _I would have sent them home. _

"Alright, now that that flaming garbage is over…where were we?"

Adrien tensed, seeing her go for the hood again.

Then he had a stroke of genius, or idiocy. His arms were bound, but his legs weren't. He was free to run.

Salo picked up the hood, and brought it closer to his face. He waited until the last moment and collided the top of his head with her chin, making her bite her tongue.

"You motherfu—!" Salo bit, before covering her bloody mouth.

Adrien skirted around her, running to the door. It was open! If he could just—

A gunshot echoed and whizzed passed his good arm, putting a hole in the wall. Adrien halted immediately.

"Next time I won't miss." She hissed.

He turned to look back.

Marinette was still on the bucket, biting her lip to keep from screaming out. Salo had her gun pointed right between her eyes.

"It's your decision kitty cat. The door is right there. You can run, or you can save your little girlfriend."

The choice was simple, and he complacently walked back to his place.

"What do you say?"

"…sorry, ma'am."

She punched him solidly in the gut, knocking the wind out of him, and sending him to the floor.

He rolled onto his side, desperately gasping for breath.

"What do we say?"

He gasped over and over, trying to breathe. "I'm—I'm sorry, ma'am."

She kicked him in the side, making him cry out.

"What do we say!?"

"I'm sorry! I won't do it again!" He all but screamed.

Pasolini grabbed his arms and hauled him to his feet.

"Then stand on the bucket." Salo demanded fiercely.

His legs were a lot more wobbly now, and he trembled all over. But he stood on the bucket, not eager to upset her again.

He clenched his eyes shut as the bag slipped over his head. It blocked out all light, and he could feel the heat of his breath on his face. It was too hot, and the cloth pressed into his nostrils as he inhaled. He couldn't get any air. He couldn't—

"I can't breathe," he choked.

"What was that, kitty cat?"

"I can't breathe! I can't breathe!" Desperately, he shook his head, trying to shake it off. "Please, I can't breathe! Get it off!"

Salo was silent. The room was quiet. Could anyone hear him?

"**I can't breathe!**" He wailed. "**Help!**"

"Adrien!" Marinette's voice cut through the darkness, making his panic subside for the moment. "Take a slow, deep breath."

"I-I can't! I-I-!"

"Sshh…" She hushed him. "Just inhale….and exhale…"

He did as she instructed. Keeping his eyes shut tight and focusing on his breathing.

Shortly after he was bagged, she was too, and she understood why he was so terrified. The hoods did make it harder to breathe, but not impossible.

Salo and her men were doing something, though neither of them could tell what it was.

"What's happening, my lady?" Adrien asked, panic still very much taken hold of his body.

"I…I don't know. Just keep breathing…"

"I'm—I'm scared."

"Me too, kitty. Just keep breathing."

And then, there was something else over their heads, and resting on their shoulders.

"Do you know what this is?" Asked Salo, sounding ever like a kindergarten teacher.

Adrien shuttered.

Marinette answered. "It's…a rope…"

No.

A noose.

"Oh god…" She started to cry. Was this it then? Was this the end to their torture?

"This is a very easy game to play." Said Salo. "All you have to do, is stay very still. As long as you don't fall, you won't lose! Now won't this be so much fun?"

Adrien made a noise that sounded halfway between a sob and heave.

"Oh come now! You've been standing for 12 hours already, what's one more?"

One hour of this.

One hour of looming demise.

All she had to do was stand still. Very still. Marinette controlled her breathing, and tried her damnedest not to even twitch.

Her heart broke as Adrien's haggard breathing reached her ears. He was hyperventilating, choking on the hood, being swallowed by it.

"Breathe…" she said again. "Inhale…exhale…"

"No no," Salo chastised, "we don't speak!" She hit Marinette, not enough to push her, just just hard enough to knock her off balance.

The bucket wobbled under her.

_Oh god please no_…if there was ever a time for her to be graceful and balanced, now would be the time!

Unfortunately, Marinette was doomed to fall.

The bucket toppled, and skidded across the ground, clanking loudly.

"My lady!" Adrien shouted, hearing the commotion.

Marinette didn't answer, just let out pathetic gasps for air.

"Marinette! Marinette please say something!"

But she didn't. She couldn't. She just kept gasping, gurgling, and coughing.

With nothing to keep him calm, Adrien spiraled into another panic attack.

Marinette landed on the pads of her feet, thankfully, but the rope tightened around her neck.

She was choking. Her breathing asthmatic, her pulse thundering in her ears. If she could just stay still like this, she'd still be safe! Just a little longer!

Bright lights danced in her vision as her jaw felt tight. She didn't have much longer. How long had it been? A few minutes?

Finally, the rope was cut and she collapsed on the floor.

"My lady…my lady…" Adrien kept calling for her. Begging her to answer.

The hood was ripped off her head, and she could see him, still playing Salo's game.

"Adrien…" she whispered. "Hang…hang in there…"

"My lady!" His voice was wet with relief, and he outright sobbed.

The hour ended, and his noose and hood were pulled off as well.

He met her tired eyes, nothing but longing and relief in his gaze.

"So, Adrien's our big winner for the day, hm? Well, you get a very special prize! I know you'll just love it! Come now, it's getting late. It's been a big day! And tomorrow's going to be big too!"

Adrien obediently stood and waited to be escorted back to their cages, but Marinette still laid on the ground.

"I said, it's time to go. Get up."

She turned on her side, but she looked extremely weak and couldn't find the strength to get up.

Pasolini simply grabbed hold of her arm and dragged her across the cement.

Back in the cages, Marinette was uncuffed, and then tossed into her cage. Adrien got a little more ceremony, where he was able to walk in on his own.

The cage, by comparison to the hood, felt a lot less suffocating, and he felt much more relaxed than the first night.

The slot in the door opened, and a deep voice said, "your prize."

A blanket dropped on him. Wool, smelly, itchy, and maybe a little moldy, but it was much much warmer than nothing. He wrapped the blanket around himself and then settled on the floor, reaching his arm out under the door. "My lady? Are you there?"

Her small hand weakly grasped his, her fingers cold in the dampness of the room.

"That was a stupid thing you did." She chastised. "Brave, but stupid."

"…I know…I was just…I saw the hood and my flight or fight kicked in…I'm sorry."

She squeezed his hand, but didn't reply.

"So…what happened? I couldn't see anything."

"I fell, but the rope was long enough that it didn't kill me, just choked me."

"Salo sure knows what she's doing."

"Yeah."

They lapsed into silence.

"Can I confess something?" Asked Adrien.

"Anything."

"I hope…I hope Hawkmoth is successful in getting our Miraculous."

"You think he'd show us mercy?"

"…at least, more than Salo."

"I don't know…but I think he might just be our only hope." Marinette's eyes closed, her body begging for rest. "I'm sorry, I'm so tired…"

"Sleep, my lady. I'm right here."

And so sleep, she did.


	15. Tripping

We're on chapter 15 already? Crazy!

Warning: This chapter has themes of horror, as Marinette and Adrien hallucinate disturbing imagery.

—

Her nap was cut short with the loud pounding on the metal of the cage. It echoed and rattled, startling her suddenly.

"Dinner time!" Salo sang with delight.

Dinner?

Food!

Yes! She was so so hungry! It probably wasn't going to be good food, in any capacity, but food!

The slots in the door opened, and a plate was set on the edge. There was a little plastic cup of water too.

"Thank you." Marinette said genuinely, taking the plate.

The meal was not identifiable. It looked like a slice of meatloaf, but it had a strange smell to it. Something that smelled familiar and but unrecognizable. She bit into it, finding it hard and bland in flavor. But it was food, and hunger was the best spice.

"What is this?" She asked outside.

"Food loaf." A voice, not Salo, said.

"What's…what's in it?" She asked.

"We had a nice dinner last night. What ever was left over, we ground up, and baked it into a loaf. It was all good at the time."

She looked at the rubbery slab, taking another bite out of it. "Would you tell me what you had for dinner?" She begged.

The voice laughed. "Oh let's see…fresh salmon, with some broccoli, and mashed potatoes. There was some avocado toast, and this strawberry gelatin dessert. Oh, and the Miss made some coleslaw that had celery, mayonnaise, grapes, and pineapple chunks in it."

"And…all of that is in here?"

"A little bit of all of it, yeah."

She shouldn't have asked. "Thank you…"

The slot closed again, and she was left to her meal.

"You don't realize how much texture goes into food," Adrien stated, his mouth full.

"No kidding. I still can't tell what's in this. Though, I can definitely get a fishy aftertaste from the salmon."

"It's not any worse than that cat food, at least."

They lapsed into silence again, eating their dinner.

"This is weird." Marinette finally said.

"Yeah, not how I expected my week to go."

"Adrien..."

"Sorry, Yeah...uh, my coping skills aren't the best."

"I...I figured."

"You figured?"

"Er, yeah…I didn't think you found our situation amusing."

"No, absolutely not." He paused, to chew and swallow. "What were you saying about this being weird?"

"Oh…I just…I was thinking, earlier, when we were chained up and waiting…I was looking at you, as you slept. And…I felt like I was looking at a stranger. You're my best friend, and I care so so much about you, but…You're not Adrien anymore, and you aren't Chat. You're just…different."

"Oh…yeah, I see what you mean. I…I kinda feel the same. I'm so used to seeing Ladybug so fearless and sassy, and then Marinette shy and adorable…seeing Marinette being rebellious and…humiliated like this is…foreign."

"Were you disappointed?" She whispered.

"What?"

"Were you disappointed? You said, a few days ago, that you were in love with Ladybug. Were you disappointed when you found out I was her?"

"No." He said without hesitation. "Well…I was disappointed in myself. I promised that I would know you immediately, out of the mask. And so allowed myself to fall head over heels in love with you. In fact, there was a handful of people I would have been disappointed with if you had turned out to be them. But you were with them in person, so I didn't worry."

"Oh, like who?"

"My father for example."

She barked a laugh. A real true laugh, her first in many days. "Your father, Gabriel Agreste, as Ladybug!? How the hell did you think that as an option!?"

"You don't know! The miraculous could drastically alter someone's appearance! If my father wanted to look like a 15 year old girl…then that's on him, I guess."

She giggled some more. "Boy, I hope Salo doesn't have cameras in here right now."

"In case she does…sorry father, that was a joke."

Marinette calmed herself, before anyone could hear her and punish her for it.

"I looked for you." He said softly. "I looked everywhere for you. But…you had been there, all this time. And I never noticed. I'm so sorry."

"You don't have anything to apologize for."

"What about you?" He asked. "You have, or _had_, a crush on me. But you always rejected Chat Noir."

"I'm so happy that you're my kitty." She croaked, emotional. "I always thought that you were so kind and forgiving…it makes sense that you're him."

"I'm glad." He hummed. "Back before all this, before the photo thing…I thought you hated me."

"What?"

"Yeah! I mean, you were always so…uncomfortable around me. I thought maybe you were still holding a grudge a little from the whole gum incident."

"What! I would never!"

"I know that now." He snickered. "I just...I'm sheltered. I still haven't picked up on all social cues."

"Oh, I think you're doing pretty okay."

"Yeah?"

"Most of the time."

He hummed. "Then I guess you'll just have to stay with me to help me with the few I miss."

_"Adrien." _

"What?"

"What what?"

"Didn't you just say my name?"

"No...?"

_"Adrien." _

"You so did! Just now!"

"I said 'most of the time' and that's it!"

"I could have sworn—"

_"Adrien." _

"What?"

"I didn't say anything!"

"Well someone did! I just heard my name! I keep hearing someone calling for me!"

Marinette was quiet, then, "You…you didn't just say my name, did you?"

"No…and I didn't hear it either."

_"Adrien."_

"Ugh this is freaking me out! Is it a ghost?"

Marinette scoffed. "More than likely, it's a tiny speaker that Salo hid in your cell. Mine too."

_"Adrien."_

Adrien felt his hands go clammy, and his face flushed. A tingling sensation started in his toes. "Oh…I don't feel too good."

Marinette didn't answer.

"My lady?"

He was sitting on the floor, bare butt to the cement, and suddenly, it started to bow underneath him. "Oh whoa whoa!"

The ground was moving, it was falling, he was falling. His stomach was weak and nausea took place, but he had finally gotten food and he wasn't about to loose it all. Instead, he clawed at the door, prying the metal off the hinges.

It came clean off, and he stumbled out. The rumbling of the cement cracking, breaking, crumbling into dust.

_"Adrien."_

That wasn't Marinette's voice. That wasn't his lady.

But it was coming from her cell.

So he started walking towards it, the ground under his feet turning to goo and melted at each step. Each step took longer than the last, and the cell was getting farther and farther away.

"I'm not dreaming, am I?" He asked aloud, though his voice echoed on and on. His arm felt heavy, heavier than normal. He glanced over, seeing his arm turned into cement.

Oh yeah, that's right. That happened.

"I'm not dreaming, am I?" He asked again. "Didn't I just say that?"

He had.

Finally, finally he reached the door, and pulled it open.

Inside was a corpse. Nearly blue in skin, and eyes open and unseeing.

"You're not Marinette." He told the body.

Its neck popped as its head moved slightly. "Oh, would you rather have her than me?"

It then occurred to Adrien that the corpse was someone he knew.

Who?

"Have we met before?"

"Have we met before?" Parroted the body.

"Yes of course!" Said Adrien, "I'm your son!"

The body snapped and popped back into a living, breathing person, Emilie Agreste standing in front of him like all was right in the world. "Hi Hunny Bunny."

"You're my mommy!" Adrien giggled, his hands over his mouth.

"That's right!" she covered her face.

"Peeka boo!"

Adrien giggled.

"Peeka boo!"

He giggled again.

"P̴̨̮̹̪̮̮͎̻̩̩̀͊̓͌ę̵̛̯̱̻̠͓͙̻̦̠̈́͗͊̔̍̕ͅḛ̷̢̡̢̯̜̺̦͎͍̙̮̱͓̌̍͆̏̒̀͆̆̒̒̀̍͆k̵̡̢̺̤̲̜̥̺̮̈́͊̎̔́̽͒͆͂̾͐̂͌̐̚a̴̫͋̚͠ ̸̮̰̠͓͙̾̾̓͌̇͋͆̀͠ͅb̴̤̙̠̮͖̦̔ǫ̵̢̛̜͓̙̘̼̳̳̠̲̋̂̈́́́͋̄̊͊o̶͙̭̣͛̏̊́̋̚͜!̶̺̳̮̭͍̥͓̳͓͎͓̥͈͍̪̀̆̉̆̎̈̌̉̂͊̊̌̚͝͝"

Adrien screamed.

That was definitely not his mother. His mother was beautiful and sweet, and did not have snakes for teeth! Or mouths for eyes! Or—Or!

He panicked and began to run. But he ran so fast that he ripped right out of his skin. His body frozen and staring in horror.

Thinking quickly, Adrien grabbed his wrist and pulled his body along with him. Occasionally, they would fuse back together, but then he would run too fast and they'd pull apart from each other, and separate.

**_"Come back hunny bunny! I just want your heart!" _**Emilie sang. **_"I just want to chew it up nice and tasty like!"_**

If Adrien ran fast enough, he could break through that wall, right? That sounded reasonable.

So he ran at top speed, ripping out of his clothes, his skin, his muscles, his bones, and collided head on with the wall, all of his layers congealing into one amalgamation of teenage boy.

"Oh, did that hurt?" Emilie asked, standing over him. Her features looked human enough, though she had a halo around her head of blue and then red and then green.

"I'm not dreaming am I?"

"You already said that."

"I'm losing my mind."

"Quite possibly."

She lifted him off the ground, dusting off the leather of his suit, straightening his belt. "My my, how much you've grown."

"Did I finally find you? After all this time?"

She smiled at him. "No, hunny bunny. I found you." She weaved her fingers through her hair, turning it red on the way down. Then she tied her hair up in a bun and put a pair of reflective sunglasses on her face.

"No." Adrien fell on his rear, the floor bowing very slowly beneath him, swallowing him up. "This is not happening. It can't be. It can't."

"Oh, but it can be. And it is." Salo's too long fingers reached out, scratching his cheek. "What's wrong hunny bunny? Thought mommy was too perfect for this? Never thought mommy would hurt you?"

The goo of the ground wrapped around his legs, pulling him into the abyss. The tendrils were sharp and burned against his skin, and once again he found his soul ripping from his body.

The walls spun and twisted, converging into one surface, and then many. He became the walls, the floor, the air, everything. He was everything and nothing.

He was…

He was…

Who was he again?

The world undulated and twisted, pulsing and throbbing in his ears, in his mind. All the pain that ever existed in the world crushed upon him, beating against his chest, clawing its way to his heart.

Was he screaming? Or was he singing? His mouth opened and noise came out. But his jaw was tense, and he gnashed his teeth.

He was floating.

He was sinking.

Everything was beautiful, but yet so so ugly.

This had to stop. This had to be a dream, or something. There was no way any of this could be real! But it felt more real than anything in his life. He felt real pain, searing, stinging, aching pain, and it was swallowing him whole. He tried to fight back against it, pressing his hands against the floor. His cat claws dug in, and he began to claw his way out of the darkness.

For a moment, everything settled, his heart beat was the only thing echoing still thundering.

It was a dark room, with only a flashlight laying on the floor. His cage was nearby, the door open, as well as the cage next to him. He was on the floor, in his robe, and above him was Marinette, poised with a crowbar raised above her head, ready to strike. She had tears rolling down her cheeks.

"My lady?" He asked softly.

The clanging of the metal against the ground was incredibly loud, and it echoed with voices of those who he had killed.

Obviously, he had to have killed people if he was in prison and Ladybug was fighting him.

"Chat? Is that you?" She asked.

"I…I don't know." He answered honestly. "I feel like…I'm not me."

"Me neither."

The floor bowed once again, and the whole delusion started over again.

—

"What?" Adrien asked.

"What what?" Marinette asked back.

"Didn't you just say my name?"

"No...?"

"You so did! Just now!"

"I said 'most of the time' and that's it!"

"I could have sworn—...What?"

"I didn't say anything!"

"Well someone did! I just heard my name! I keep hearing someone calling for me!"

_"Marinette."_

Marinette was quiet, then, "You…you didn't just say my name, did you?"

"No…and I didn't hear it either." He moaned, "Ugh this is freaking me out! Is it a ghost?"

Marinette scoffed. "More than likely, it's a tiny speaker that Salo hid in your cell. Mine too."

_"Marinette." _

"Look, let's just ignore them, okay?"

Adrien didn't respond.

"Kitty?" She asked softly.

There was silence. An awful, deafening silence.

Her heart pounded, and her fingers started to tingle. "Adrien, if you can hear me, please answer me!"

But he didn't. He was long gone.

Marinette braced herself against the walls of her cage, the metal starting to push back against her, growing tighter, constricting. Like a snake, or the grip of a giant.

"Chat!" She screamed. But it came out slow, like water overflowing.

The metal was now pressing on all sides of her, crushing her as if she was made of glass. She felt herself cracking, shattering, shards of her very being flaking off and falling into another world.

Because that's where she was being forced, wasn't it? Forced to another world, another dimension. Spirited away, and erased from all she knew, and all that knew her. Her parents would never know they had a daughter, her room a guest room, her possessions losing their attachment. There would never be a Ladybug, and Adrien would have never known her.

A mistake of the universe, being folded over and ironed out.

She was pinned flat, paper thin, all air being forced from her lungs. Frozen in a solitary form.

Then there was a door opening, a breeze catching hold of her paper thin form and rustling her.

There stood a figure in the way, formless, and ever changing.

"You're not Marinette." They said.

"I'm not?" She replied. Well, then why was the world trying to erase her? What had she done to treated like so?

"Have we met before?" Asked the stranger.

"Have we met before?" She asked right back.

"Yes of course!" Alya responded, stepping closer. "Don't you know me?"

"I don't know who you are anymore," said Marinette, her head cocking to the side.

"I'm not dreaming, am I?" asked Chloe.

Marinette breathed, her three dimensionality returning as she stepped forward. The action made her dizzy, her head growing huge, inflating like a balloon.

She put her hands over her face, trying to stop the sensation.

Manon giggled.

She removed her hands to see, only to find Lila standing in front of her, laughing.

"Look at you! Look how far the great Ladybug has fallen! Too bad! Maybe I'll go tell the others where to find you! I'll tell Salo where to find your parents!" She started to run away, teasing her as she moved.

Ladybug, furious, took chase, her body not moving like she wanted to. Lila was so much faster, so much much more nimble.

The hallway twisted, turning sideways, upside-down, the walls dividing into more sides, a hexagon, a decagon, spinning.

Hawkmoth turned around, laughing as he ran, then splated against the wall, turning into an amoeba-shaped blob, all sorts of radiant colors exploding from the collision.

"Oh, did that hurt?" She asked, as the figure's blood flowed over her shoes.

"I'm not dreaming am I?"

"You already said that."

"I'm losing my mind."

"Quite possibly."

An arm snapped out of the goo, grabbing hold of her wrist. The fingers curled and twined around her wrist, forcing their way up her body. "And you're being so brave. Faced with nothing."

"No!" Marinette screamed, lashing out to scratch the face emerging from the ooze.

Salo's face.

"You can definitely try to stop me, but it won't work! No one's coming for you! No one remembers you! No one wants you!"

"No! No no no!" She shrieked, pulling away from the monster. "I don't believe you! This isn't real! It can't be real!"

But it felt more real than anything she'd ever experienced before.

She felt like she was finally awake.

Chat Noir! He'd know how to help! He could save her!

"Chat!" She screamed.

He didn't come, but something cold touched her foot.

His baton.

Yes! Yes that would work!

"Try and stop me. I'd love to see you try!"

She grasped hold of the baton, and began to hack at the figure. Like a rose, blood gushed from the chest, flowing and gurgling forth. She kept hitting them. First Salo, then Hawkmoth, then Lila.

Then…

"My Lady?"

Adrien.

She paused, the crowbar over her head, ready to swing down.

Terrified, and taking a grasp of reality, the crowbar slipped from her hands and clattered on the ground.

"Chat? Is that you?" She asked.

"I…I don't know." He answered honestly. "I feel like…I'm not me."

"Me neither." She whispered back.

A mistake. She had made a mistake. And the world need to fix it!

The ceiling began to fall, crushing her into pulp, and the delusion started all over again.

—

How long had it been?

Hours? Minutes? Days?

Marinette didn't know. She had been flattened and folded over and over, like a paper crane.

Adrien had been ripped apart and sewn back together.

Both laid on their backs in silence. They were uncaged, and nothing kept them from running out the door.

Nothing but the inevitability of reality slipping away again. As dazzling colors and beautiful patterns twisted in their visions, all they could do was lay on the ground, and cry.

Because who were they now? What were they? Humans? Higher beings? Cosmic dust?

There was no way to know.

"Wow, that did a doozy on you two." Salo said.

Marinette flicked her eyes over, unable to move any part of her twisted body.

"Well, it's been over 14 hours. I'm sure it'll wear off soon. Let's get you two back to where you need to be."

Neither moved, both having to be dragged back into their cages.

Things were starting to make sense now. Breathing evened. Hearts slowed. And the bitter cold settled on their shoulders.

There was no peace to be had.

This was hell.


	16. Struggling

Note: This chapter has brief mentions of the previous two chapters. We are in the viewer's perspective.

—

_Hawkmoth. We need to talk. —Salo._

Alya stared at the sentence over and over, her breath hitching in her throat. How could this happen? It couldn't! It just couldn't!

"I have to remove this link!" Alya stated. "Max, can I get on your computer?"

"Of course," he stated, taking out his laptop. "It's pretty obvious how she posted that. You are using a public server through blogspot, after all."

"Can you prevent her from doing it again?" She asked, logging into her account.

"Of course. No problem."

_Incorrect username._

Alya clenched her fists. "That bitch kicked me out!"

"Now now, hold on." Max assured, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Let Markov try."

"Of course, this will be easy. One moment please." Markov plugged into the computer, and in a few seconds, the Ladyblog's dashboard appeared.

"Wonderful! I'll change my email and password too. After I delete this post!"

It was right up top, in the most plain and boring formatting. Just a white box with black text.

"Huh." Alya said aloud, staring at it.

"What's wrong, Al?" Asked Nino.

"There's no trash icon. No comment section, no share icon, nothing. I can't edit it or delete it."

"Allow me," stated Markov again.

A red triangle with an exclamation point came up on his face. "Whoopsies, we don't have access to the post."

"Whaddya mean we don't have access!? This is my blog, isn't it?"

"Yes and no." Said Max. "Everything around this post is your blog. But this box itself is not."

"Huh?"

"Think of it…as Salo cut a hole in your website and has this in the background, showing through."

"You can do that?" Asked Nino.

"Not easily, by any means. It's extremely complicated. I've never tried it myself. No need to."

"So…what do we do?" Alya crossed her arms, looking anxious.

Max screwed up his lip in thought, turning the laptop towards himself. He typed away, a next window coming up. In a flash of textual garbage, too complexed for anyone else to understand, he had a diagnosis. "Okay…well, the post has a slightly different URL, that's associated with the blog. But it's being hosted on a private server, which I can't access. At least not yet. I can try to take it down, but it will take me a few hours, at least."

"But we don't have a few hours! Hawkmoth could see this post at any second!"

"I understand. The other thing we could do, is delete the blog in its entirety. Then the post won't have a URL to associate with and will be unviewable."

Delete the Ladyblog.

Alya felt sick.

What was two years of hard work in exchange for her friend's safety? She still had all the videos, all the pictures, she could make a new website, right? One that got Marinette's approval before every posting.

"Okay—"

"Wait," said Nino. "Shouldn't we see where the link goes first? What if it helps the police find them?"

Alya gasped slightly. "I'm glad you thought of that!"

"Markov, initiate Backdraft operations." Max said.

"_Backdraft initiated._"

"What's backdraft?" Asked Alya.

"It's simply a protocol I use if I think my presence is being tracked, or I may be counter hacked. It's basically a fancy firewall."

"Oh, I see."

With the class gathered around, Max clicked on the link.

Another window popped up, with a loading wheel. It spun for a moment, then a big red 'X' covered the screen and the window closed.

"Hmm…how very interesting."

"What the heck was that?" Asked Kim, resting his chin on Max's head like a pest.

"Believe it or not, that was a video chat. But it uses facial recognition to get in."

"So it's not going to be helpful to us at all. Huh?"

"I can try to track it. Though it may be difficult since the page closes so quickly."

Nino whispered as quietly as possible. "Didn't the detective say he wanted to use your blog to help with the investigation?"

Alya scrunched up her face. Now she had to make two decisions. Stop Hawkmoth, or take the chance and maybe get a lead on Salo.

Any normal person would have gone with the absolute, but Alya was desperate.

"Leave the blog up. Do you think you can track the link?"

"I'll give it my best shot." Said Max, honestly.

Alya gave a twitch of a smile.

Something about her conversation with Hawkmoth earlier niggled in her brain. He had addressed her by her name, not as an Akuma. And when she asked him to leave, he left.

Of course, there was no trusting the man, that was obvious, but as far as villains go, she was much more willing to deal with him than Salo.

Alya shook her head. That was an insane thought.

Then the bell rang, and lunch was officially over. Alya and Nino found their seats, now feeling keenly aware that Adrien and Marinette were both absent from class.

"Oh," said Nino, holding up a pink backpack. "She left it here. Adrien's is here too."

Alya smiled fondly. "We'll carry them back with us."

—

Miss Bustier was nothing if not understanding. None of the students had their homework done from yesterday, so she just cancelled the assignment. Alya and Nino weren't given the missed work from this morning either.

She had a feeling they probably wouldn't be doing it anyways.

Alya had her phone out all day, plugged into a portable charger.

She constantly refreshed the page, hoping for something different.

But no. For hours now, Adrien and Marinette has been hanging by the wrists from chains.

Near the end of the day, Alya looked over to see Marinette speaking to the camera.

She rewound, found the time stamp and raised her hand.

"Yes Alya?"

"Marinette's saying something! She's speaking to us!"

"Are you sure?" Miss Bustier asked.

Nino was already next to her, looking at the screen.

"She's looking right at the camera. I don't think she's talking to Adrien."

"Can I turn on the projector?" Asked Max.

"Well…" Miss Bustier saw the first broadcast. She had turned away the moment Marinette was demanded to strip. She hadn't watched anything since, and didn't know if it was safe to show the students.

But looking around, she saw that they were all worried, and eager to see what Marinette had to say.

And so she nodded at Max.

In a matter of seconds, the website was up, and Adrien and Marinette's states were now visible to the room.

There was a round of gasps.

No one had watched the stream this morning.

"Is that…is that Adrien?" Chloe asked, with choking breath.

Regardless of the state of room, Alya hit play.

Marinette looked around, and then looked directly at the camera. She gave a tired little smile.

"_Hey,_" she spoke in an absolutely broken voice. "_If you're watching this, you…you're probably feeling a little hopeless. I don't blame you. I feel…pretty hopeless too. I mean, I'm…I'm stuck. I'm not sure how I'm going to get out of this. But…but Ladybug always saves the day, right?_" She glanced away, choosing her words. _"My name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I'm 17 years old, and my favorite color is pink. I'm the daughter of the best bakers in Paris, though I might be a little bias._" She smiled slightly. "_Before I became Ladybug, I was a normal girl, with a normal life. What made me extraordinary, was my willingness to help others, and my kindness. So Paris, I have a favor to ask: _

_"Be helpful and kind. Go out of your way do something nice for someone once a day. If you can do this for me, then I know Paris will be safe until we return._"

"I promise." Alya heard Chloe whisper.

She glanced over to Adrien, then off screen, and then back at the camera. "_Maman, Papa...I'm really really sorry I had to hide this from you. I didn't want to, and some days I thought about how much easer it would be if I just told you. How I could explain the lateness and absences, and my bad grades. But I just had to let you think I was a bad kid. It was for your safety, after all...but despite my best efforts, this still happened, and now you're in danger. Please get somewhere safe. Leave Paris if you have to. I love you so much. I promise I'll be out soon._"

Her brow crinkled, as she hesitated. Then, "_Alya, I'm sorry too. You…you probably feel kinda betrayed right now. But, like I said, it was for your own safety. You were put in peril so many times because of me. How many more would that have been if Hawkmoth thought you knew my identity? After everything, I hope you finally believe me now...sorry, that was harsh. I...I'll forgive you, if you forgive me. Deal?_"

Alya broke down sobbing. If there was anything else to be heard, she missed it. Of course she forgave Marinette! How could she not? Marinette picked her as Rena Rouge, time and time again!

And what did she do in return?

Stab her in the back.

Some best friend she was.

"Al…" Nino comforted. "It's alright."

"It's not alright!" Alya shouted, startling everyone. She hated how much of a mess she was. She was supposed to be a superhero, damnit! But at this rate, Hawkmoth would try to akumatize her again.

"She's right, you know." Said Miss Bustier, rubbing a hand under her eye. "It's not alright." She cleared her throat and spoke to the class. "I know things seem bleak right now. And it's okay to be upset. It's okay to grieve and to hurt. But it's never okay to hurt others to make yourself feel better. That's exactly what Salo is doing. That's what Hawkmoth has done for years. I know it hurts, and things seem hopeless. But we need to listen to Marinette, to Ladybug. Go out of your way to be kind to someone."

Alya breathed a sigh. Miss Bustier always knew what to say to make things better.

"Alya, can you come stand with me please?"

She nodded, getting to her feet. Up front, Miss Bustier hugged her, and held her around the waist, as she beckoned each one of her students forward.

"Alya, you're so smart."

"You've got a wicked sense of humor!"

"You're really perceptive, and notice things that others don't!"

"You always put in that extra bit of work to make a project look amazing!"

On and on, each student complimented her, as was custom in Miss Bustier's class. But all of them were genuine, not just going through the motions.

Except maybe Lila, but still, it was hard to tell. "You are really dedicated to your blog, and put _everything_ on it, to make it just right."

Alya swallowed. That comment fell flat in comparison to the others.

Chloe came up, a scowl directed in Lila's direction, then she grabbed Alya by the upper arms. "You are fiercely protective to your friends. No matter who they are. If you feel friendly towards them, you protect them. And that's something I've always admired about you."

Alya wanted to cry again, but she spared Chloe the satisfaction. "You're just trying to be nice."

"Me? Nice? As if!" She scoffed, but they both knew it was true.

"The reason we do these activities," explained Miss Bustier, "is so that when you see someone having hard time, you take the time to cheer them up. It should be an automatic response."

"For Marinette and Adrien!" Cheered Kim in the back.

"For Marinette and Adrien!"

—

After school, Alya and Nino gathered their stuff from their lockers. It was time to head back to the Agreste Mansion, for their own safety. Though, the temptation to go out and patrol was strong. Yet the heat was still on, and it wasn't smart to risk it just quite yet.

"Alya?" A soft voice asked.

It was Choe. And she looked _shy_. Sabrina was no where to be seen.

"Hey Chloe," Alya said pleasantly. It felt better to just be nice, like Miss Bustier suggested.

"I…" Chloe started, then she turned away. It took a few tries, each time she started differently. Then, she finally managed out. "I don't know what to do."

"What?"

"I…I don't know what to do. Normally, when I want something, daddy just buys it for me. He takes care of everything. I've never been in a situation where I couldn't have what I wanted. But…but I can't do that with this. I begged daddy to save them. Both of them. And he tried! He talked to the chief of police and they got in contact with Europol…but basically…there's nothing they can do. So…I have to do it myself. I have to save them."

Alya scoffed slightly. "You can't save them yourself."

"I have too." Chloe said right back, her daily stubbornness shining through. "You don't understand!"

"Chloe…"

"I found the Bee Miraculous. Marinette dropped it, and I found it. Despite all my mistakes, all my insults and my cruelty, Marinette…_Marinette_ let me become Queen Bee. Several times. She threw a party for me, when I felt like no one liked me. She went out of her way to help me reconnect with my mother. And…" She started to sob.

_Chloe, it's me, Ladybug. You can trust me, you can tell me the truth._

_You have a purpose._

"She spoke to me in a way no one else had before. She was so…so nice! And she meant it! Only Adrien ever treated me like that! But I was never _mean_ to him!" She sniffed and rubbed her eyes. "That's why I have to save them! She has to know how sorry I am! How much I appreciate her! And how much Ladybug still means to me!"

Alya was touched. "Why you telling me this?"

"Because you're the Ladyblogger, duh! You've got to know something! Don't you have a hint to who Rena Rouge are Carapace are? Any way to contact them? I want to help them! As Queen Bee!"

Alya screwed up her lip. "And you don't care about the attention of being a superhero in the limelight again?"

"Puh-lease, if I cared about attention, I wouldn't look like this!" She gestured to herself.

Nino snickered. "I didn't even think you owned a track suit."

"How do you think I stay in peak physical form? By Instagraming all day?!"

"Still…"

"Fine! It's Givenchy! Give me a break!"

Alya and Nino shared a look of understanding. Now was the time to use all the help they could get. Alya reached into her bag and pulled out a little black box. "Chloe Bourgeois. This is the Miraculous of the Bee. You will use it for good. Until such a time that Ladybug and Chat Noir are safe, you will keep it safe and protect it."

"And you won't put it on your snap story!" Nino added, harshly.

Chloe took the box, reverently. "Are…are you sure?"

"The guardian gave it to us, and told us to give it to you when we felt it was safe."

Chloe, smiling, opened the lid, and a glittering yellow light appeared.

"Hello my queen!" Pollen sang.

"Pollen!" She scooped her up and held her to her cheek. Then she looked back to Alya and Nino. "When do we start our patrol?"

Alya laughed, happy to see Chloe so eager. "Soon. But we have some catch up to play."

—

It had never been this hard to akumatize someone.

Granted, Chloe Bourgeois had put up a great fight. But it was nothing like this.

Hawkmoth had assumed Alya would be the perfect candidate to become an Akuma. In all the times he had been around her, granted it was only a handful, she had been absolutely devastated.

Lady WiFi had been amazing, and given her powers of pausing, she would have been great.

But, she was not cooperative. Sure, maybe he could have pushed her a little more, put on the pressure. But it didn't feel right.

Nothing about this felt right.

And that's what made him so conflicted.

Because we was willing to do whatever it took to get Emilie back. Exploiting people who were having the worst day, who were in unbearable pain.

So why the hesitation now? This was Adrien, the light of his life. The only family he had left. He loved his son, although he often had a hard time showing it.

He reached out to Nino Lahiffe, who, admittedly, was not as visibly upset as Alya had been, but his hurt was still present. Nino was unbearably calm as he asked Hawkmoth to 'kindly f—- off.'

Next was Chloe Bourgeois. Surely she would agree, right? She loved Adrien!

Oh but she was nearly feral trying to get rid of him. She yanked on her hair and screamed and cried.

He left quickly, feeling her pain as his own.

He looked at Tom and Sabine, but didn't have the heart to even try. Ladybug's parents, now that was cruel.

He was beginning to run out of victims. Gorilla? Nathalie? Himself?

Lila Rossi! She was always ready and willing to be akumatized!

But then, he remembered with growing horror that she _hated_ Marinette Dupain-Cheng. She may try to save Adrien, but she'd leave Marinette all alone to suffer. And that was almost worse.

He dropped his transformation, a dropped to his knees.

"Master? Please don't cry."

"I disgust myself." He whined in the back of his throat. "Why…why can't I do it? What makes this so different? Am I not desperate enough? Do I not love Adrien enough?!"

Noroo swooped in and nuzzled against Gabriel's cheek. "You love Adrien plenty. Don't beat yourself up over having sympathy for others in pain."

Gabriel swallowed, digesting the kwami's words. "I suppose...that means there's hope for me yet."

The elevator rose, bringing Nathalie into the room. "Sir, Madame Cheng has something to show you on the stream."

"She found something?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then we'll continue this later Noroo, let's go."

—

Sabine stood in the lobby, her phone in hand. Thankfully, the stream could be rewound to repeat anything that had happened. And so when Gabriel finally emerged from his office, she went to him, thrust the phone in his face, and pressed play.

_"Notausgang."_

_"Pardon?" _

_"Notausgang. Does that word sound familiar?" _

_"No...it sounds German though. Why?" _

_"It's written on the wall behind you." _

_"Like Graffiti?" _

_"No...it looks like it's supposed to be there. Like a sign." _

_"A German sign on the wall? You don't think...we're in Germany, do you?"_

_"I have no clue where we are, but...why else would there be German on the wall?" _

_"Well, maybe we're still in France. Maybe not Paris, but Alsace-Lorraine or..." _

"Notausgang is German for 'Emergency Exit'. It's everywhere in Germany." Gabriel responded. "Not so much in Alsace-Lorraine. If there's no French by it, it's safe to assume they are in Germany."

Sabine choked. "Oh no…no no no…"

Gabriel rested a calm hand on her arm. "Sabine, it's alright. This is good. We know we're looking in the wrong place, and we can tell the detective what we learned. Okay?"

She nodded, wiping her cheeks. "I just…they're so far…I feel so helpless!"

"I feel the same." He assured.

And he did. Not only did he have no clue where they were in Germany, but his akumas couldn't reach farther than Paris. Even if he were to go to Germany, he'd have to spend days hopping around from city to city. And that wasn't suspicious _at all_.

Still…if that's what it took.

First, they'd talk to the detective. Then they'd plan the next move.


	17. Analyzing

This chapter is much like the last, rehash of chapter 15, in perspective of Alya and the others.

—

Believe it or not, there were a handful of people in Paris that actually hated Ladybug and Chat Noir. Salo and Hawkmoth were the obvious ones, of course. And then there was Lila Rossi, who had been spurned by Ladybug time and time again. But she tended to keep her distaste a secret.

But there was one other in the City of Lovers whose life was continually complicated by Ladybug and Chat Noir.

Minster of the Interior, Arthur Vanderguard.

As Minister of Interior, one of his most important jobs of late was to protect the city in the event of an akuma attack.

Something that he was wholly unprepared for every time.

It was getting increasingly frustrating to do his job when his men, the police, decided to listen to a little girl before listening to him. Everyone listened to Ladybug first. And then when her plans failed, he had to pick up the slack. He had to hold off hoards of zombies or knights or whatever the akuma of the week was, while she was given the floor to do her little superhero routine and stop the big bad. Of course, she always fixed everything afterwards, which was the only reason he hadn't resigned completely.

But if anyone, the mayor, his chief of police, anyone at all, decided to listen to his plans, he would be able to stop Hawkmoth with ease.

But no.

It was always, "Ladybug and Chat Noir know what to do!" "They'll stop them for sure!"

Arthur couldn't believe the people of this city could be dense enough to trust children with the safety of a highly populated and historic city. It floored him really.

And of course, when things went catastrophic and people got hurt, who did the media, the mayor, and the people of Paris blame?

I'll give you a hint: It wasn't Ladybug.

No, the amount of times he had to speak at a press conference and apologize for a gruesome mistake that one of his men made because they listened to Ladybug was astounding. And then he had to thank the little insect, for fixing her mistake with her magical Ladybugs. And then the cycle would continue on and on in a dizzying spiral.

The day Salo appeared on the TV and announced that she had captured Ladybug and Chat Noir, he was elated. But only on the inside, of course. Ladybug and Chat Noir were out of the way!

But now, he was fairly certain that he would be responsible for rescuing them.

Why this punishment? What had he done in his life to deserve this?

Then Salo had taken the Miraculous, and Arthur was met face to face with the children that kept stepping on his toes. Children, for sure.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng was 17, Adrien Agreste 18.

If he wasn't so pissed, he might have been impressed.

But as it was, his boss, the Mayor, his men, and Paris itself was completely enraptured by a baker's daughter and a model.

As he watched the stream, he couldn't help but feel bad for them. This was torture, and they didn't deserve this at all. Because Ladybug _did_ fix everything in the end. So even when his job had him stressed, things still worked out okay.

But as of right now, he was off the clock, and it wasn't his problem.

Until his phone rang.

An unknown number.

"Hello?"

"Is this the Minister of Interior?"

"Who is this? How did you get this number?"

"This is Chloe Bourgeois. The mayor's daughter. Daddy gave me your number."

Arthur groaned and slapped a hand to his face. _Not this._ "What do you need, M. Bourgeois?"

"I demand to know how you plan to save my Adrikin's and Marinette Dupain-Cheng!"

He rolled his eyes. It hadn't even been ten minutes since they were revealed to everyone! Surely it wouldn't be a problem, right? "I assure you, I will do everything in my power to save your friends."

"See that you do." And she, blessedly, hung up.

Great. Another thing he was getting blamed for.

Well, maybe if he saved them, people might finally start listening to him again. If he was really lucky, he might get a raise. Who knows? Maybe he could swing this in his favor.

He'd meet with the mayor in the morning.

—

Chloe went back to the Agreste estate with Alya and Nino after school.

They gathered in Adrien's room, and Nino hooked the computer up to the TV, so they could watch the stream.

Marinette and Adrien still hung from their wrists, as they had for hours now.

"Let's go over our facts." Stated Alya, looking at her notebook.

"We know the 'who.'" She took out a piece of paper, which was a photocopy of the folder Detective Bertony had. "The Detective gave me this to give to Rena Rouge and Carapace. This is the most pertinent information he has, but I can get copies of the rest of the file. Bianca Furtoli, age 46. Lover of Edward Savauge, the drug dealer that Ladybug and Chat Noir captured two days ago. That's also the 'why.' Apparently, this is revenge for sending him to jail."

"We also know a vague 'how'. Ladybug and Chat Noir were fighting a very large akuma when they were thrown into a building and disorientated. From there, Salo administered 'GHB' a drug commonly used to knock people out for assault."

"Now we're just left with the 'where.'" Said Nino.

Alya smiled slightly, "But I have a pretty good guess. Marinette and Adrien were last seen in Paris at 12:15, according to my post on the blog. Give or take a few minutes. Salo had them at least by the 6 o'clock news. That gives them a little over 5 hours to get them to the location that they are in now."

A map of France and its surrounding countries laid on the coffee table, with a circle drawn around it. "In a five hour period, you can get to most of these destinations. Most of France, and the outer edge of England, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, and Switzerland. Now, with the word 'Notausgang' that Marinette stated she saw on the wall, that boils it down to a primarily German speaking country. 'Notausgang' means emergency exit, which would be written in French too if it was in a area that spoke several languages like Alsace-Lorraine. So we are looking at, of course Germany, and maybe Luxembourg, depending on the area. But if we are looking at Germany, we are somewhere between the border, Cologne, Frankfurt, and Stuttgart."

Chloe and Nino both frowned at the map. "That's still a lot of ground to cover."

"True."

"But," added Nino, "we also need to point out this little location in Montparnasse." He drew a little dot on the map.

"Yeah, but Rena Rouge and Carapace already checked there. That's where they are broadcasting from, and where their servers are."

"Sure, but I think we shouldn't forget about it."

"Fair."

Chloe looked at the map, as she had been silent this entire time. "Is that everything?"

Alya crunched her face up as she flipped through her notes. "Well, I think they're in a cellar or basement, given the cement walls. Maybe an old building."

Chloe tapped her chin. "Well, I'll just tell my daddy that we're going to Germany, and we'll borrow the private jet and get over there!"

"It's not that simple, Chloe." Alya said calmly, "We can't just up and leave for Germany. Especially if we go with you, and then Rena Rouge and Carapace are seen with Queen Bee! Salo figured out how to catch Marinette and Adrien like that." She snapped her fingers. "If we're not careful, she could take our families too. I have little sisters—" She cut herself off before she became too distressed. "And, if Salo finds out we're on to her, what's stopping them from moving somewhere else?"

"What do you expect us to do?"

Alya frowned. "We need more time, and more clues."

"We don't have more time! How long do we have before they're killed?"

"118 days." Alya stated, blank faced.

Chloe blinked. "What?"

Alya got her notes out again. "Sorry, I missed this part. 'Salo' is a name of a torture porn from the 70s. Its surname is '120 days of Sodom'. Salo is leaving us a clue for a time limit."

"Are you sure?"

"That's what the detective believes."

"And you trust him?"

Alya shrugged. "I really don't know who to trust anymore."

Chloe stood and walked to the window, holding herself. Pollen floated up next to her, nuzzling her cheek. "I'm not used to things being bigger than me." Chloe confessed. "The world, no matter how big it was, felt small. I could go anywhere, do anything…If daddy couldn't fix something, he had people for that. So…not being able to lift my finger and have it fix is…it's really messing with me. Sorry."

Alya and Nino shared a look. "Chloe," Alya said, trying to be comforting. "We didn't recruit you so that you could fix it with a snap…although I wish you could."

Chloe gave a watery chuckle.

"We gave you the Miraculous because you want to help, and you're capable of it. We might need that private jet. I don't know. But just you being here, ready to help, says volumes about you."

Chloe gave a shaky nod and then came back to sit at the couch, feeling like she could breathe better. "Gotta make Dupain-Cheng proud, right?"

—

It was around 6pm when something started to happen on the stream.

"_Well well well, how are we doing now? 12 hours is a long time to leave you hanging around. I'm so sorry, I meant to come back sooner, but I had errands to run._"

Alya turned the volume up, and got her notebook ready. The main hope was that since Salo was so cocky, she'd let something else slip.

"_I heard your little speech, Ladybug. Very moving. I'm sure mommy and daddy loved to hear all about how you lied to them over and over for years. And the Ladyblogger! Oh, she must be absolutely crushed. Her best friend, her hero, lying selfishly. Dangling that one bit of knowledge that she always wanted just out of reach. What a friend!_"

"Bitch." Alya muttered.

"_But I'd like to correct one thing, however. You told Paris to be kind and all that junk, to make sure it stays safe until you could come back. Sorry, Ladyliar, you're not leaving. Gabriel Agreste blew the only chance of Adrien getting out, and you…you have no chance. I have you right where I want you…So much spirit in you still. That's fine, we'll cure you of that soon enough_."

The group watched as Marinette and Adrien were re-chained behind their backs, and forced to stand on galvanized buckets. Salo brought a black sack over, and went to put in on Adrien's face.

_"No…no, no please don't! Please!" _

_"Oh, what's wrong kitty cat? Afraid of the dark?_ _Or are we…claw-strophobic?_"

"Oh dude…" Nino breathed. "He is. He is claustrophobic!"

Chloe buried her face in her hands. "I can't watch!"

Thankfully, they were spared, as someone spoke off screen. "_Incoming call ma'am_."

_"Oh, a call, hmm?"_

_"The facial recognition program found a match." _

_"Oh goody. We mustn't keep him waiting then!"_

One of the camera's switched from showing the room, to showing the caller.

Hawkmoth, looking as stone cold as ever.

Alya bit her thumb.

"_My my, took you long enough. I would have thought Hawkmoth would have the Ladyblog as the home screen on his computer._"

"_Did you summon me to antagonize me?_"

_"Summon you? What, like you're some sort of demon? Some kind of _god_?"_

He remained emotionless.

_"Your face says I'm wasting your time, but your eyes say you're jealous." _

"_Get on with it._"

She chuckled, _"And impatient too. No wonder you always lost." _

Salo walked off camera, and when she returned, she held both of the miraculous in her hand. _"Here, the Ladybug earrings and the Black Cat ring. Bonafide jewels of magic. Now, what will you give me for them?"_

Hawkmoth narrowed his eyes.

"I knew she was going to try this." Said Alya, pressing her fingers to her temple. "I should have taken down the blog when I had the chance."

Salo went on. "_I have no idea what you want with these. I can't see the appeal of a grown man running around playing superhero. Perhaps you want the Black Cat to use for heists? But I couldn't fathom a use for the Ladybug earrings. Unless you want them to be a circus performer."_

Hawkmoth remained emotionless and silent.

_"You know, in bartering, there has to actually be, you know…_bartering."

"_What about the children?_" He asked. "_If I want the gems, and those two along with them. What's the price?_"

Alya's heart dropped into her shoes. What on earth did Hawkmoth want with them?!

Salo barked out a laugh. "_You-you want—oh that's rich! What? You want to torture them yourself?_" She shook her head. "_No can do, Hawkman. I have business with them. But that was a good joke._" She wiped a pretend tear from her eyes. _"Look, these are useless to me. I have all the power anyone could ever want. I'm being reasonable by offering these to you first, since you so desperately want them. But if you don't want them, then I'll just put them for auction up online. You can try to get them there, before some other yahoo outbids you. So, do you want them, or not?_"

Hawkmoth's lip twitched in a scowl. "_Oh, I want them. But I'm not making any deals with you. I abhor torture._"

She scoffed. "_Oh yeah, and what would you have done with these two if you had gotten their miraculous on your own?_"

"I_ would have sent them home. I have nothing against them personally. It is their job to fight the akuma. And once relieved of that duty, they are free to go. In the same way, they have a duty to Paris to stop criminals. But now they're only teenagers. What you're doing goes beyond revenge, it's insanity._"

The notebook slipped out of Alya's hands. This was…unbelievable.

"_Oh, so now the terrorist is trying to lecture me? You're playing all high and mighty, now that you're not the villain anymore. But I guarantee you, if it was you verses them, and the Miraculous were in sight, you would do anything, including killing them, to get them. Don't talk to me about insanity._"

Hawkmoth grit his teeth in anger, a fire of hatred burning in his eyes. "_I will be taking those Miraculous on my own._"

"_I'd love to see you try. Tell you what, I won't put these up for auction until I've disposed of these two maggots. Go ahead, akumatize any random, innocent civilian you want and send them to me. But unlike them_," she thrust a thumb over her shoulder, "_I won't hesitate to kill your little minions_."

Hawkmoth 'hmph'ed and the call ended.

The room was silent for a moment, as everyone digested what just happened.

"What…the…ever-loving—" Started Nino.

"That is…not what I expected him to do."

Salo laughed. _"What a moron! No wonder he loses all the battles. No strategy, no thinking, just 'I'm gonna get them'. It's pretty sad actually. You weren't even good heroes, just better than the villains you faced."_

Chloe was staring ahead, blankly, and then turned to look at Alya. "What…what did Hawkmoth want with the Miraculous?"

"We don't know." Alya answered, just as listlessly. "I never understood why he wanted those two, specifically…Marinette might have a guess."

The group was startled as Adrien darted forward, head butting Salo in the face, before running towards the door.

A gunshot ran out over the speakers, and Chloe shrieked.

_"Next time I won't miss."_

The gun was trained right between Marinette's eyes, who stared her down fearlessly.

"_It's your decision kitty cat. The door is right there. You can run, or you can save your little girlfriend._"

Adrien hesitated for just a second, and Alya thought that was the end.

But, blessedly, he walked back to his place.

_"What do you say?" _

_"…sorry, ma'am." _

She punched him solidly in the gut, knocking the wind out of him, and sending him to the floor.

He rolled onto his side, desperately gasping for breath.

_"What do we say?"_

He gasped over and over, trying to breathe. _"I'm—I'm sorry, ma'am."_

She kicked him in the side, making him cry out.

_"What do we say!?"_

_"I'm sorry! I won't do it again!"_ He all but screamed.

Pasolini grabbed his arms and hauled him to his feet.

_"Then stand on the bucket."_

Salo slipped the hood on, making sure it covered him completely, before she stepped away.

_"I can't breathe,"_ he choked.

_"What was that, kitty cat?"_

_"I can't breathe! I can't breathe!"_ His shoulders hunched as he flailed his head. _"Please, I can't breathe! Get it off!"_

Salo ignored him, and slipped a hood onto Marinette.

_"_**_I can't breathe!_**_"_ He wailed. _"_**_Help!_**_"_

_"Adrien!"_ Marinette cried. _"Take a slow, deep breath." _

_"I-I can't! I-I-!" _

_"Sshh…"_ She hushed him. _"Just inhale….and exhale…" _

Marinette continued to comfort him, as Salo and her men got out ladders, and began to tie rope to the ceiling. At the end were nooses.

"You said we had time!" Chloe shouted at Alya.

"I thought we did!" She shouted right back.

"_What's happening, my lady?_"

_"I…I don't know. Just keep breathing…" _

_"I'm—I'm scared." _

_"Me too, kitty. Just keep breathing."_

Then the nooses were around their necks, and those watching began to sob.

_"Do you know what this is?_"

Adrien shuttered.

Marinette answered. "_It's…a rope…Oh god…_" She started to cry.

_"This is a very easy game to play."_ Said Salo. _"All you have to do, is stay very still. As long as you don't fall, you won't lose! Now won't this be so much fun?"_

Adrien made a noise that sounded halfway between a sob and heave.

_"Oh come now! You've been standing for 12 hours already, what's one more?" _

It was agony. This woman sure knew her stuff. Salo walked off screen, as Marinette and Adrien stood, waiting for their demise.

All of Paris listened to the heartbroken sobs of their heroes. Terrified out of their minds.

As Adrien cried out, Marinette spoke to comfort him, but Salo smacked her in punishment.

She began to wobble.

"Oh Mari, no…please don't fall." Alya whispered. "Girl please…"

The bucket toppled, the rope tightened, and Marinette let out a choked gasp.

"No!" The three leapt from the couch and screamed.

_"My lady!"_ Adrien shouted.

Marinette was standing on her tippy toes, her neck extended as far as it would go. And she was desperately gasping for air.

_"Marinette! Marinette please say something!"_

Alya's pulse pounded in her ears. How long could she stay like that? How long could she survive?

Finally, the rope was cut and she collapsed on the floor.

"_My lady…my lady…_" Adrien kept calling for her. Begging her to answer.

She was freed of her hood, as she continued to lay on the ground.

_"Adrien…"_ she whispered. _"Hang…hang in there…" _

_"My lady!"_ His voice was wet with relief, and he outright sobbed.

The hour ended, and his noose and hood were pulled off as well. He was weeping, tears soaking his face, as his lips pulled into a grimace.

They watched as they were both led from the room, Marinette having to be dragged.

"I'm going to kill her." Alya stated, not for the first time. "I'm going to put her in a noose for an hour and see how she likes it!"

"Al, calm down."

Alya shot to her feet. "No! I won't calm down! Maybe I'll attract another akuma! I'll take it this time! Let me be Lady Wifi again! Akumatize me!"

But there was no akuma to be found, and Alya collapsed back onto the couch, crying into her palms. "I'm a superhero, damnit…why am I so useless?"

"How do you think everyone else in this city feels?" He asked. "Yeah, we have Miraculous. Yeah, we know them personally. But what about all the other people who love them? Who were saved by them?"

Alya shook her head. "But we're the ones who have a chance! We can save them!"

"Alya…we're just kids."

Her hands flopped down to her legs, as she stared at the floor in silence. "So…we give up?"

"No, of course not." He petted her hair. "I just think you're being too hard on yourself. We can't help them if we're too busy having a pity party."

The stream was still going, even though there was no one in the room.

"Last time, Salo had a message of when the next stream was."

"Then we'll just wait for it."

About a half hour passed until the stream changed. The camera views were different, and the footage was only in black and white. Marinette and Adrien were sitting on the floor, eating something.

"They get food!" Chloe cried with relief.

"It doesn't look like much." Nino added.

Alya just watched with wet eyes.

Marinette was speaking._"Oh…I just…I was thinking, earlier, when we were chained up and waiting…I was looking at you, as you slept. And…I felt like I was looking at a stranger. You're my best friend, and I care so so much about you, but…You're not Adrien anymore, and you aren't Chat. You're just…different._"

_"Oh…yeah, I see what you mean. I…I kinda feel the same. I'm so used to seeing Ladybug so fearless and sassy, and then Marinette shy and adorable…seeing Marinette being rebellious and…humiliated like this is…foreign."_

"_Were you disappointed?_" She whispered.

"_What?_"

"_Were you disappointed? You said, a few days ago, that you were in love with Ladybug. Were you disappointed when you found out I was her?_"

"_No…Well…I was disappointed in myself. I promised that I would know you immediately, out of the mask. And so allowed myself to fall head over heels in love with you. In fact, there was a handful of people I would have been disappointed with if you had turned out to be them. But you were with them in person, so I didn't worry." _

_"Oh, like who?" _

_"My father for example." _

That managed to give smiles to those at home. "_Your father, Gabriel Agreste, as Ladybug!? How the hell did you think that as an option!?"_

_"You don't know! The miraculous could drastically alter someone's appearance! If my father wanted to look like a 15 year old girl…then that's on him, I guess." _

She giggled some more. _"Boy, I hope Salo doesn't have cameras in here right now."_

_"In case she does…sorry father, that was a joke._"

This was a private moment. A conversation between two partners. Two friends.

No one had the right to listen in.

And yet Salo broadcasted it to everyone.

It was kind of uplifting, hearing Ladybug and Chat Noir admit, in some capacity, that they loved each other. Although, they didn't outright say it.

_"I looked for you."_ He said softly. _"I looked everywhere for you. But…you had been there, all this time. And I never noticed. I'm so sorry." _

_"You don't have anything to apologize for." _

_"What about you?"_ He asked. _"You have, or had, a crush on me. But you always rejected Chat Noir." _

_"I'm so happy that you're my kitty."_ She croaked, emotional. _"I always thought that you were so kind and forgiving…it makes sense that you're him." _

_"I'm glad._" He hummed. _"Back before all this, before the photo thing…I thought you hated me." _

_"What?"_

_"Yeah! I mean, you were always so…uncomfortable around me. I thought maybe you were still holding a grudge a little from the whole gum incident." _

_"What! I would never!"_

_"I know that now."_ He snickered. _"I just...I'm sheltered. I still haven't picked up on all social cues." _

_"Oh, I think you're doing pretty okay." _

_"Yeah?" _

_"Most of the time." _

He hummed. _"Then I guess you'll just have to stay with me to help me with the few I miss." _

There was a pause, and Adrien made a confused face. _"What?" _

_"What what?" _

_"Didn't you just say my name?" _

_"No...?" _

_"You so did! Just now!" _Adrien turned in his cell towards her.

_"I said 'most of the time' and that's it!" _

_"I could have sworn—What?" _

_"I didn't say anything!" _

_"Well someone did! I just heard my name! I keep hearing someone calling for me!" _

Marinette was sat up a little bit, _"You…you didn't just say my name, did you?"_

_"No…and I didn't hear it either…Ugh this is freaking me out! Is it a ghost?"_

Marinette scoffed. _"More than likely, it's a tiny speaker that Salo hid in your cell. Mine too." _

Almost instantly, Marinette's body went slack and she slumped against the wall.

Adrien called out for her, but likewise, he collapsed.

"What's happening to them?" Asked Chloe.

"I have no idea. They were fine just a minute ago."

Marinette's mouth opened, and she called out for him. "Cccccchhhhhhaaaaatttttt…" Her voice was slow and drawn out, some drool tripping off her lip.

Adrien started flailing, like he was losing his balance. Then he pulled at the door of his cell. It opened without any resistance and he wandered out.

The camera changed angles to show the room they were in. The three could see the cages they were being kept in, that looked like old duct work. The rest of the room was mostly empty. Some junk scattered around, and a plank of wood over the doorway.

Adrien stumbled out, swaying back and forth, looking like a drunkard. He turned towards Marinette's cage and started walking, with a heavy lean backwards, like he was fighting gravity.

"What is wrong with him?" Chloe demanded. "He looks drunk."

Nino opened his mouth a few times, then said, "Dehydration?"

Alya shook her head. "Not like this. It has to be drugs. Of some kind. Maybe in the food."

_"I'm not dreaming am I?_" Adrien asked aloud.

He turned around in a circle, then tried to swing his bum arm around. "_I'm not dreaming, am I?_" He asked again. "_Didn't I just say that?_"

He wobbled and finally reached Marinette's cage. Opening the door, he leaned against the opening.

_"You're not Marinette."_ He said.

The camera showed Marinette looking up at him. He was definitely looking at her, but he was seeing someone else. And so was she.

_"I'm not?"_ She asked right back.

_"Have we met before?"_

_"Have we met before?"_ Parroted Marinette.

"_Yes of course!"_ Said Adrien, then muttered something incomprehensible.

Marinette stood slowly, her world swaying.

"_You're my mommy_!" Adrien giggled, his hands over his mouth.

"They're hallucinating." Alya breathed.

"That's sick." Nino spat.

Then Adrien screamed. Screamed bloody murder, blowing out the microphones. He scrambled, his movement frantic, but graceless, as he whirled around in space.

Marinette was scrambling after him, rage on her face, and thus began the slowest chase anyone had ever seen. Multiple times, they both fell on the floor, rolling around like they were drowning.

Adrien gathered his footing and ran at full speed at the wall, colliding with it, over and over and over again, like if he hit it hard enough, he would break through.

Nino winced with each impact.

_"Oh, did that hurt?"_ She asked, as Adrien slid to lay on the floor.

"_I'm not dreaming am I?"_

_"You already said that."_

_"I'm losing my mind."_

_"Quite possibly._"

They reached out for each other, taking hold of the other's wrist. They both pulled, Adrien raising off the floor, only to fall back down again. They were both screaming incomprehensible garbage at each other.

Adrien just started rolling around on the floor, squawking and squealing, making ungodly noises of pain and fear.

They couldn't begin to imagine what he was seeing.

Marinette wasn't much better. She wasn't on the ground, but she was still screaming. Alya heard her call out for Chat once or twice. She staggered a few steps, her foot colliding with something metal on the ground. She stooped and picked it up.

A crowbar.

"Put it down, Mari." Alya begged. "Drop it!"

With a shriek, she started to hack at Adrien with the crowbar, hitting him in the chest as he continued to scream.

Blood came out of his mouth with each hit.

Finally, Marinette stopped, just at the apex of her swing.

_"My lady?_" He asked softly.

The crowbar clattered to the ground loudly.

_"Chat? Is that you?"_ She asked.

_"I…I don't know."_ He answered honestly. "_I feel like…I'm not me."_

_"Me neither."_

Marinette staggered backwards, and started screaming again. And Adrien started to roll around. It was starting over again.

—

Many hours passed. The sun had set, and the streetlights had gone on. Chloe wandered over to Adrien's bed and collapsed. She laid there crying for several hours before she finally fell asleep. Nino watched for much longer, but his head lolled, and he fell asleep on the couch.

Alya was the only one still awake, watching as Adrien and Marinette continued their drug induced haze. Her eyes burned, her tears all dried up.

Trixx floated up to her face. "You should go to sleep, pretty girl."

"Can't." Alya shook her head. "I have to…have to watch for clues."

"If there hasn't been any so far, I don't think there will be any."

Alya rubbed her eyes, blinking back the emotion that threatened to take her. She glanced at her phone. "School starts in two hours."

"You aren't going to school," her kwami scolded gently. "You need to sleep or your going to start hallucinating too."

"I…don't think I can sleep. Even if I wanted to."

Trip swooped over and turned off the TV. "Then do something else for a little while. If you watch this any longer, you're not going to be any help to them."

Alya sighed. "Fine. I'll do something else."

Adrien's computer was just over there. Maybe he wouldn't have a password on it. She sat down, and shook the mouse, the screen coming to life. His wallpaper was him with his mother, which was almost too painful to look at.

She clicked on Chrome, pulling up the internet. His most recent page was the Ladyblog, and he was logged in.

As Chat Noir.

Alya chuckled to herself. "If anyone had gotten on this computer at any time, they would have figured you out."

Allowing him some privacy, she logged him out, and logged in as herself.

Salo's post to Hawkmoth was gone. Whether she took it down or Max did, Alya didn't know. And she didn't really care.

She opened a new post, knowing she should probably do this before things got out of hand, and people starting asking questions. They probably were, but she hadn't checked her notifications since they went missing.

Hi Ladybloggers, Alya here.

I'm sure you've seen the news. If you haven't, it is with a heavy heart that I announce that Ladybug and Chat Noir have been captured by a woman going by the name Salo. She has them held hostage somewhere undisclosed. She's been streaming on this site (WARNING: What she is doing to them is graphic and not for the faint of heart. Those under the age of 18 probably shouldn't look.) They have had their Miraculous stolen and their identities exposed.

Ladybug is my best friend, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, who I have talked about several times on the blog.

Chat Noir is also a good friend of mine, Adrien Agreste, head model for Gabriel Agreste. He's in my class.

I'm sure many articles and news sites will try to get the scoop on what kind of people they are. I'm in contact with their parents right now, and I'd just like to say, if a story is not endorsed by my blog, it most likely is not factual, and not authorized by either family. (This does not include any interviews that Adrien did prior to being captured.)

When I am ready, I will share some clips of Marinette that we took together. I want everyone to know how amazing, wonderful, thoughtful, helpful and kind they both are in their other lives. They took the superhero duty above and beyond the mask and always tried to help others and do the right thing.

Soon, I will also be making a detailed transcript of what happens in the stream, for those of you who are unwilling to watch it. Anyone willing to help with this endeavor, please message me.

First thing first though. Marinette, Ladybug, had said something earlier today that I want to share and hammer home.

"If you're watching this, you…you're probably feeling a little hopeless. I don't blame you. I feel…pretty hopeless too. I mean, I'm stuck. I'm not sure how I'm going to get out of this. But Ladybug always saves the day, right?

My name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I'm 17 years old, and my favorite color is pink. I'm the daughter of the best bakers in Paris, though I might be a little bias. Before I became Ladybug, I was a normal girl, with a normal life. What made me extraordinary, was my willingness to help others, and my kindness. So Paris, I have a favor to ask:

"Be helpful and kind. Go out of your way do something nice for someone once a day. If you can do this for me, then I know Paris will be safe until we return."

This is Ladybug's favor to us, and it's the least we can do.

More info to come.

Alya out.


	18. Vowing

Before we get into this chapter, I just want to thank each and every one of you for sticking with this pain for so long. I know it hurts, but man, I really want the ending to be worth it for everyone. Just stick with me for a little longer!

This chapter may be the most dark. We are Adrien and Marinette, and some sad stuff is going to happen. But I have ended the chapter with some fluff to balance it out. And I think we are halfway through. We'll see if the ending drags on longer.

I hope you all forgive me.

—

Marinette had officially lost track of the days. It was a feat that she had kept up with it as long as she had. But given there were no clocks and no sunlight, she was forced to conclude that time didn't matter in this place.

Given the amount of times she 'rested' in her cage, she'd put their stay at either 5 days or a full week.

Could torture grow stagnant? Because that's what it was starting to feel like.

In the mornings, there was some form of humiliation tactic being used. Degrading names, dehumanizing acts. Forced to eat food off the ground, forced to crawl and act like animals.

She was getting used to it.

And that was concerning.

In the afternoon, they'd hang from their chains, and in the evenings, they played the noose game.

Adrien at least coped better than he did at the beginning. He kept his eyes clenched shut and refused to cry out. When he began to hyperventilate, he would remember how to breathe, and calm down for a moment, before repeating the cycle.

Had Salo run out of ideas? Or was something worse coming?

It seemed the questioned would be answered after the fifth 'rest'.

Marinette awoke to someone stomping on her hand, which was outside of the cage, holding Adrien's.

She recoiled with a hiss, pulling her hand back in and holding it.

"Isn't that just so disgustingly sweet?" Salo asked, as the chains on her door were unlocked. "You're sure going to like what we do today!"

Marinette was grabbed by the wrist and pulled into another room. Obediently, she didn't ask any questions, but she was keenly aware that Adrien wasn't following her.

In the new room, Marinette was made to stand. It was a small room, one light on the ceiling, with a table off to the side. A paper bag sat on the table.

She was alone with Salo. But that gun was still on her hip.

"Are you ready for the most important day of your life?"

Marinette hunched her shoulders. What was that supposed to mean?

"I…I don't know."

"Of course you don't, you stupid bitch." Salo laughed. "Now strip."

A precursory glance around the room showed that there where no cameras in the room.

It's not like it mattered though. Paris had already seen her naked.

So she pulled at the ties and took off her robe, laying it on the table nearby.

Salo didn't say anything, just took out some white fabric from the bag. A corset and tutu, to be exact.

Marinette stared at the outfit with some degree of confusion.

"What, you've never seen a wedding dress before?" Asked Salo, with a little grin.

"Not…one that looked like that."

She laughed. "Oh I know it's a little different. But you'll look so stunning!" She opened up the corset and wrapped it around her waist, fastening it in the front. "Oh good, perfect fit. I worried we'd have to starve you for another week before you could fit into it." She turned her around, and began to tighten the ribbons.

"Why...am I wearing a wedding dress?"

Salo giggled, "why do you think silly girl? You're getting married!"

Marinette's heart felt unbelievably heavy at that announcement. "To who?"

"Why, to Chat Noir, of course. No one else wants you like this."

Well, that was a relief. And it wasn't like they were actually getting married, right? This was another one of her sick games. Making a mockery of something beautiful, joyful. Desecrating the sacred, and ruining the perfect.

Salo pulled the ribbons tight, making it hard to breathe.

"Oh, but I know what you're thinking. This is just some sort of joke, right? No no, my dear. I've got a mayor here to make it official. I'm not going to tell you where he's from, but all the paperwork has already been submitted. In a few hours, you'll be Mrs. Adrien Agreste. Isn't that just exciting?"

No.

It wasn't.

Not like this.

Of course, she loved Adrien. And she loved Chat Noir too, by extension. She always dreamed of marrying him and having three kids and a hamster.

But that was when she was a kid. She was older now, and recognized that she wasn't ready for marriage. Her and Chat had good camaraderie, Adrien and her were good friends. But a good friendship and business partnership did not a marriage make.

"Aw, you're so happy you're crying!" Salo cooed.

Marinette covered her face with her hands.

Her mother was supposed to be here, helping her put on the dress. And Alya, she was supposed to be here too. And her father was going to walk her down the aisle!

Where was the dress that she designed herself? Her flowers? The lovely chateau for the reception?

No, all she had was cold, dirty cement, and a too-revealing dress. If you could even call it that.

"There, let's do your makeup. No bride is complete without a makeover!"

Marinette shook her head and backed into a corner. "No, no please, I don't want to do this!"

"What's wrong? Do you not love him?"

"No, I do! But I—"

Shit.

A malevolent smile came over Salo's face, snagging onto the information and tucking it away for future use.

"No!" Marinette protested. "I meant that I love him, I care for him, but he's like my brother! I love him platonically!"

Salo obviously wasn't buying it.

"You know I hear everything you two say in that room, right? And so does everyone else in Paris. We all know that you had a crush on Adrien, and that he's in love with you. There's no use lying to make it easier."

Salo walked slowly over to her as she talked, and then grabbed Marinette by the hair and forced her to look her in the eye. "Because whether you 'love' him, or not, torturing him in front of you is still going to hurt like a bitch."

Marinette just moaned in pain. There was no winning with this woman.

Salo grabbed her by the wrists and had her sit at the table. "There there, pumpkin. We can't have you crying while I put on your makeup." She wiped her face with a handkerchief. "Now, to make you all pretty."

Clown makeup.

Specifically Pagliacci.

A white face, with thick red lips, black outlines around the eyes, and black lines that looked like tears.

She looked demented.

Crying would only make it look worse.

"Now come along," Salo grabbed her wrist again. "Your groom awaits you."

Marinette was dragged by the wrist into the room she was so familiar with. The air reeked of alcohol. Men sat in chairs in rows, forming an aisle. At the end, a man with a book stood at attention.

And Adrien. Who was completely naked except for a bowtie. The bruise from his arm was now a sickly green, while the bruise on his chest from the crowbar was dark purple.

At her entrance, his jaw dropped, his eyes sparkling with tears. Sure, she had wanted her future husband to cry when he saw her in her wedding dress.

But not like this.

Never like this.

The audience stood, wobbling. She recognized that most were some sort of drunk.

Salo looped an arm around hers and started to walk her down the aisle.

The assembled started to sing, in a slur of drunken gaiety.

_Here comes the bride,_

_All dressed in white._

Marinette couldn't help it. She started to cry. How desperately she wished to hide, to cover herself, to never leave the house again.

_Sweetly, serenely in the soft glowing light._

A hand grabbed her butt, and she sobbed outright.

_Lovely to see, marching to thee._

_Sweet love united for eternity._

Then she was next to Adrien, his mouth still open, searching for words to say.

But he had nothing.

No comfort.

No affection.

Just hopeless silence.

She wasn't much better.

"Why are you doing this?" She asked Salo, in a stint of bravery.

Salo smiled, in what looked like patience. "In my research of the Ladyblog, I found a recurring theme. A lot of people in the forums wanted you two to get together. Not only that, but they wanted you to have a public ceremony, so everyone could be a part of it. And you see…you both are going to die here. I figure, you probably both wanted to get married someday. Who am I to take that away from you?"

Who indeed?

Adrien reached out and took her hand, squeezing.

Now that she was in front, Marinette noticed something very off about the officiant.

He was shaking like a leaf, and very pale. He didn't look the least bit jolly like the rest of them. He actually looked downright terrified.

Salo needed an officiant. So, it was likely that he was being held here against his will. Just like them.

"Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today to join…Chat Noir and Ladybug together in holy matrimony."

Holy. There wasn't anything holy about this. God had his face turned away.

"Adrien, do you take Marinette to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poor, until death do you part?"

Adrien swallowed and answered with a whisper. "I do."

"And Marinette, do you take Adrien to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poor, until death do you part?"

"Yes, I do."

The officiant sighed heavily. "The brands?"

Now, Adrien may have had his entire wedding to Ladybug all planned, but no where in all his research, did he read anything about brands.

There was an echoing squeaking coming from the hall, before another one of Salo's men wheeled in a cart. On it, there was a cast iron pot with hot coals in it, and two pieces of metal sticking out.

Marinette stood a little closer to Adrien, fear overwhelming her. Likewise, he held her hand a little tighter.

Salo, and two men stood from the crowd, and went to Adrien, and took his bad arm, laying it flat, palm up on the cart.

Salo took a pair of heavy gloves and gave them to Marinette. "Alright, you're going to take this brand right here, and you're going to press it to his palm for five seconds."

"I'm not doing that." Marinette protested.

"Fine, then I'll do it for you, and make it hurt so much worse. I'll burn right through his hand."

"No, wait…" Marinette clenched her fist. "I'll…I'll do it."

"That's a good girl."

Marinette slipped the gloves over her shaking hands, and picked up the designated brand. Trembling, she held it over his open palm.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Repeat after me: with this brand, I thee wed."

"With this brand…I thee wed." She trembled, before plunging it down.

It sizzled on his skin as a scream ripped from his throat. His fingers twitched, and his other hand grabbed at the nearest body and fisted in their shirt.

It couldn't have been five seconds. Surely she counted too fast. But she couldn't stand the sound, the smell. She ripped the brand off of him and dropped it on the floor.

In an act of mercy, Salo dropped his hand in ice water, which made it better before numbing his hand completely.

Marinette tore the gloves off. Wanting to take him and hold him, begging for forgiveness.

But she didn't. She just stood there sniveling.

Without anyone forcing her to, she laid her arm down, where Adrien's had been, palm up.

"No, no Mari, don't." Adrien begged.

"Please…it's only fair."

Adrien took his arm out of the water, holding his palm open for her to see.

The skin was blood red and bubbling, but in center of all the gruesome gore, the word 'Ladybug' was written in a fancy cursive font.

A brand. He belonged to her.

And soon she'd belong to him too.

She nodded him on.

Salo put the glove on for him and pointed out the correct brand for him to use. Because he was using his non-dominant hand, he braced his elbow on the edge of the cart to keep steady. The last thing he wanted to do was mess this up and cause her unnecessary pain.

A rivulet of sweat broke through her face paint and tracked down her cheek.

The officiant, with his eyes shut tight, spoke, "repeat after me: with this brand, I thee wed."

"With this…this brand, I…I thee wed." He stuttered, not even processing what he was saying. Then, after a moment of hesitation, he pressed the brand into her skin.

Marinette seemed to take it better than him. She turned her face away so she didn't have to see. Her freehand came up to bite her knuckle as a very slightly muted scream rose from her chest.

White hot searing pain, that burned and sizzled all the way up her arm.

And just when she stopped feeling it, he pulled away.

The brand clattered to the floor, and Adrien held her fingers as she panted. Finally, she dared to look at her hand.

'Chat Noir' was written in matching script to Adrien, and the surrounding skin was raw, blistering, and bleeding.

The officiant took a trembling breath. "Then, by the power invested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

It felt too weird, and too inappropriate to kiss at a time like this. This bastardized wedding didn't deserve romance. It was wrong and awful.

But Adrien came closer, and caressed her arm gently, full of affection and love.

"May I?" He whispered.

"Yes," she returned, just as softly.

It was just a peck. Certainly not the type of firework-filled kisses in the movies.

Neither of them enjoyed it anyway.

"Oh that's not a kiss! Give her a real smooch!" A man heckled in the crowd.

Adrien bent and kissed her again, lingering longer this time.

"Nah kid! Use the tongue!"

Adrien grimaced, and helplessly shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know how to tongue kiss."

"Me niether."

"Then ya better get ta practicin'!"

There were days in school, where Marinette would gaze longingly at the back of Adrien's head, imagining him pining her to the wall, running his hands up her thighs, and swirling his tongue with hers.

But this just felt lewd and wrong. Especially with everyone whooping and hollering in the background.

She kissed him back, her heart pounding in her chest.

Just for once, she wanted to enjoy and remember a kiss with Adrien. Was that too much to ask?

Adrien pulled away, looking incredibly sheepish.

"Presenting Mr. and Mrs. Adrien Agreste." Said the officiant, with some relief. He rested a shaky hand on both of their shoulders as he presented them to the crowd. A tear rolled down his cheek. "Will you let me go now?"

Salo smirked, standing, as her hand went to her hip. "Yeah, you can join your wife and daughter." Then she withdrew her gun and without warning, shot the man in the head.

Marinette shrieked as he hit the floor.

The drunken mass of an audience all started singing the wedding march, out of tune and too loud.

"Daaa! Daaa! Dadadada—!"

Marinette just started bawling, her tears making the black paint melt and run down her cheeks in thick lines.

This was the second murder she had to witness in a week. And it wasn't getting any easier.

Was this supposed to be a farce? A mockery of everything pure and clean?

Marinette looked and Adrien, only to see him covering his eyes with his hand as he sobbed.

Everyday, she felt more and more helpless. But this took the cake.

The chairs in the room rearranged and tables were brought in. She and Adrien were sat alone together at a little table, while everyone else gathered around. Then, the smell of food wafted through the air, and Marinette's stomach twisted.

The body of the dead officiant was right there, his soulless eyes looking up at her.

The food came. Dishes passed between the men, drinks being refilled and clanged together.

No one brought anything to the sordid couple.

Salo stood, raising a wine glass. "I'd like to make a toast."

The laughter settled down.

"To Ladybug and Chat Noir. May their last hours together be pleasurable and full of love."

The words settled on Marinette's shoulders heavily, making the floor feel like it was opening up beneath her.

Their last hours together?

She looked to Adrien, seeing his face full of panic as well.

"What do you mean by that?" Marinette asked.

But Salo didn't answer, and the party continued without them.

They sat alone at the sweet heart table, the difference in the attitude of the room being palpable. The door to freedom was just on the other side of the buffet table of burly, well armed men. A perfect wall.

Adrien lifted his dead arm onto the table, looking at the branding on his hand. He gave a little smile, and confessed, "If I had to be branded with anyone's name, I'm glad it was yours."

Marinette mimicked him, setting her hand next to his. "Me too."

He reached up and swiped some of the paint off her cheek. "I miss your face. You were hiding behind a mask all this time, and now you're hiding again."

"I want to take it off. I look so ugly."

He shook his head. "It's impossible for you to look ugly. Even with bad makeup."

She took hold of his hand that rested on her cheek, and brought it to her lips to kiss, leaving some red paint behind.

Salo stood again, her chair scraping on the cement.

Marinette clenched her eyes shut and held his hand tightly. She didn't want to be separated from him. Not now, not ever.

"I think it's time for our lovely couple to go on their honeymoon! What do you fellas think?"

Of course, there was a drunken cheer that hurt the ears.

Two people each grabbed them, and hauled them down the hall. This time, they were led past their normal room, and into a closet. It couldn't have been more than three or four feet wide on each side, and with both of them in there at the same time, space was limited.

Salo was giggling like a schoolgirl. "Now, have fun you two! We've got plenty of cameras and mics in here, so make sure you put on a good show for everyone at home!"

With that, the door slammed shut, and the laughter on the other side faded.

"Adrien…I…I can't."

"No, don't worry about that. I would never make you…" He felt along the walls. "Here, let's sit."

He sat down first, and then pulled her to sit on his lap, their skin pressed against each other.

"Are you comfortable?" She asked, shifting.

"As much as I can be. Don't move like that, please."

Her face tinged pink. She leaned back against the wall, and just tried to allow herself to breathe.

Adrien's good hand wondered over her back and shoulders, absently. She was sure if she asked him to stop, he would have, but she didn't want him to.

"We're not going to do what Salo wants us to do in here," he said with finality. "I'm not ready for that."

Marinette breathed a sigh in relief.

"But…I would like to hold you." He whispered.

Marinette turned to lean into him. "I want you to hold me."

She arranged his bum arm to rest on her legs while his other arm wrapped around her waist and held her tighter.

"So…" he began, "I'm the 'other boy' right? The one you kept rejecting me for?"

She scoffed. "You just figured that out?"

"Yeah well, it just hit me. I asked you how long you'd been in love with me for, and you said since that day in the rain…"

She ran her hand up his arm. "We really are stupid, aren't we? If…if I had just agreed to let us share our identities…"

"No." He said, a bit forceful. "You were smart on having us keep them to ourselves. Look at us now. Everyone knows who we are, and…" He rested his head against hers, as a way of ending the thought. "I'm just happy I have you now. I love you so much, Mari."

"I love you too," she whispered back.

This was cruel and unusual. Adrien was finally in love with her.

And this was the last time she see him for a while. Maybe ever.

The closet they were in was much too dark. A scant bit of light leaked in through the bottom of the door, but that wasn't enough to see him.

"Can…can I kiss you? Properly this time?"

She took his face in her hands. "Please."

This kiss felt much better. Prompted on their own, in their own world, despite the threat of cameras. It was soft and sweet, and everything she wanted in a first kiss.

Though it didn't come first, this is the one she counted.

When they broke apart, he leaned his forehead on hers.

Timidly, she pushed some hair behind her ear. "I…I dreamt about marrying you. You know? I had the whole ceremony planned out."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah…"

"Would you tell me about it?"

She blinked with a blush, not expecting such an intimate question. "Well..." she swallowed. "I was expecting my father to walk me down the aisle. And for my mother to help me put on my dress."

"One that you designed?" He asked, his voice soft and eyes closed, like he was trying to imagine it.

"Yeah."

"What would it look like?"

She smiled slightly, picturing the drawing she had in her sketchbook. "A soft rose pink. Made of silk, with lace sleeves. I want to honor my heritage by embroidering a rose gold phoenix on the skirts."

"That's a really nice touch," he hummed. "You'd look beautiful in it."

She blushed again, ducking her head to lay on his shoulder.

"What about the ceremony? Where would it take place?"

"A chateau in Giverny. Where we can get married out in the gardens, under a wisteria tree. I just want lots and lots of flowers."

"I like that idea. Certainly better than mine."

She giggled. "You had a wedding plan?"

"Every bit of it. Even down to the color of the napkins."

"Then pray tell, what does our wedding look like to you?"

"Well, it was going to be in Notre Dame…and then I had to change it to Chartres Cathedral."

"I could get behind a Cathedral."

"It's so beautiful in there, My Lady. The gothic architecture and the stain glass windows. It's like a castle, fit for a princess."

"Do they allow cats in cathedrals?" She joked.

"Rude."

"What kind of cake?"

At the same time, they said, "Vanilla Raspberry delight from the Dupain-Cheng Boulangerie Patisserie!" They laughed together.

"And what about the honeymoon?" He asked, "We can go anywhere in the whole wide world. Where do you want to go?"

She was quiet for moment, thinking. "Have you ever seen 'It's a Wonderful Life'?"

"Every Christmas."

"I like the scene, where George and Mary loan out all of their money to the people in town, so Mary goes back to the abandoned mansion and makes a resort just for them. With posters of all the places they wanted to go, and a little dinner. And then they kiss to the sound of the rain, and Bert and Ernie singing 'I love you truly, truly dear'."

"That part always makes me cry." He admitted.

"My point, is that it doesn't matter where we go, as long as I can be with you."

He kissed her forehead. "In that case, let's get a sailboat. Sail the world. At night, we'll be just a silhouette surrounded by a myriad of stars. Spend our nights on the glassy water, where you can't tell where the sky begins and ends. Just the two of us, free to go wherever we want."

"That just sounds too good to pass on. You promise? We can do that?"

"When we're out of here, we'll have our perfect wedding. And then we'll go, and never look back."


	19. Pacing

This chapter takes place over several days. We will switch back to the audience next, and cover the time a little more slowly. A lot happens.

Also, there's no physical torture in this chapter, but there is talk of starvation and menstruation.

—

Marinette and Adrien stayed awake as long as possible, just trying to get any joy they could from being with each other. They recounted times where they had been in school and had to leave to fight an Akuma, along with all of the bad excuses that they had come up with along the way.

"I remember being in class and there was boom across the street, I can't even remember what akuma it was, but we both raised our hands at the same time, and at that second, I just found myself thinking, 'no Adrien! Stay in your seat!'"

"I remember that! Because Miss Bustier let you go, and said that I had to wait until you came back! I had to make a big fuss and pretend that I was going to piss my pants before she let me go! And then when Chat arrived to the fight, you gave me a hard time about being tardy!"

Marinette outright laughed, unable to contain her amusement at the irony that was their life.

"I hope the school retroactively excuses all our absences," Marinette giggled. "I had perfect attendance before I became Ladybug."

"They better." Adrien added. "I'm not even close to getting perfect attendance because of all the times I had to miss for photoshoots." He paused, thinking. "You know, it's a marvel that I had as good of grades as I did, given how often I wasn't actually there."

"Well, we can't all be geniuses."

"Oh, what are you talking about? You're the smart one, my lady." Then he gave her a little kiss, one that sent goosebumps down her spine.

"Flatterer." She said flatly, despite the smile on her lips.

His stomach growled loudly, and he cringed. "I'm sorry, I'm just…really hungry."

"You don't need to apologize. I'm hungry too."

"How's your hand?" He asked.

"Probably the same as yours. It sucks."

"Yep, that's where I'm at too."

"And your ears?" She asked, knowing that they were still being pulled by that string.

"Definitely infected." He grimaced. "I can't touch them."

"Oh kitty…"

"It's fine. I guess. We can't do anything about it. Sorry to worry you."

She kissed his cheek. "I still worry about you, no matter."

"I worry about you too, Princess."

Marinette nuzzled her face into his shoulder, the good one. He smelled awful, since he hadn't bathed in a week, and she could smell the infection in his ears. But it didn't matter one bit. Because it was Adrien, and he was warm and alive, and right here.

For who knew how long.

He pressed his nose into her hair.

"Ugh, don't smell my hair. It hasn't been washed in days."

"Smells wonderful to me," he cheeked.

Marinette was quiet, pensive, as dread creeped up on her shoulders. "What…do you think Salo meant, when she said we should enjoy our last hours together?"

"I think she's going to kill me." Adrien said, softly. "She acted like she was the most angry with you…"

Marinette bit her lip, hugging him tighter. "I don't think so. Before the wedding, she told me she wanted to torture you in front of me, because it would hurt more."

"Then maybe we'll just be separated for a little while."

Marinette hoped that's what it was. God, she hoped that was it. For a week of this, she sure was taking things better than she ever thought she would. But she attributed all of that to Adrien. Just having him here, being a source of strength, and a reason to keep fighting, had allowed her to keep her sanity.

Without him, surely she'd lose herself to an abyss.

Far too soon, sooner than they were willing, the locks to the door were clicking, and the door was opening.

"Well, I'm disappointed." Salo stated with her arms crossed. "You had several hours to pork, and all you did was kiss and talk about mushy corny shit. I thought kids your age where supposed to be horn dogs."

Neither of them answered.

"Come on, on your feet."

Hesitantly, they both stood, a lot weaker than they had been the first day. Keeping their hands together, they walked out of the closet, and prepared for the next round of torture.

Salo rested her hands on her waist, her expression impossible to discern underneath her sunglasses. "As much as I love being here and taking care of you two, I have some other business to attend to. I have to clean up the mess you made for me. But not to worry, Pasolini will be here, as well as our chef. We will continue to provide the excellent service we have been providing you with. And, I've even updated your rooms! Free of charge!" She gave a nod, and a man on each side took hold of Marinette and Adrien, and began pulling them in opposite directions.

"No!" Adrien cried out, clenching Marinette's hand.

"Come on, Chat, your room is this way." Salo pulled on his bum arm, making him cry out. "Just let go."

"No! My Lady!"

Marinette clenched him just as hard. "Adrien!"

Salo had to manually pry their fingers apart to get them to let go, and even then, they continued to reach out for each other.

"Adrien!"

"My Lady!"

Marinette was dragged down the hall and around the corner, out of sight. She could still hear him crying for her, and she shouted right back until there was silence in return.

"In you go, Miss Bug." Said the man dragging her along. It was another closet. Just as small as the last. But without Adrien, it felt incredibly cold.

The door slammed behind her, and the locks were put in place.

Then, she was all alone.

And it was so quiet.

No hum of an air conditioner, no rush of traffic, nothing. Absolutely nothing but dead silence broken with her own short breaths.

She sat down on the ground, the cold cement floor covered with debris and dust from a bygone era.

So this was it then? Isolation? Solitary? For how long?

At least until the next session of torture. Which would probably be in a few hours at least.

Marinette saw no point in sitting awake with her thoughts, and so she curled up into a ball, and eventually fell asleep.

—

And Adrien thought he was overcoming his claustrophobia.

But being put into a closet that was only a little bit taller than him, and only allowed him to stretch his arms out to his elbows really undid all the progress he was making.

How thick was the door? Would he run out of air in here? There weren't any vents. No slot like there had been in his first cage.

He knelt, and felt along the bottom of the door. The space between it and the floor was barely wide enough to fit his pinkie through.

He needed to calm down and breathe. Slowly. Or else he would suck up all the oxygen and start to suffocate and—

"Oh god!" He shouted, his breathing erratic.

There was no calming down.

Were the walls closer than they were before? This room felt smaller!

Adrien braced his hand on one wall, and his back on the other and pushed.

Solid concrete, it wasn't budging.

"They're going to crush me!" He cried, using every bit of his strength to hold the wall still.

He spent a long time, just holding that pose, until his weak arm started to ache. When it felt like the wall wasn't moving, Adrien slowly slid down the wall onto the floor, pressing his face against the cold metal door, and just trying to catch his breath.

—

Day 3.

As future guardian of the Miraculous, Master Fu and Marinette tried to make a habit of meditating together on Sunday afternoons.

She wasn't buddhist, and neither was her family. Master Fu made it a point that the meditation wasn't religious in nature, but simply a way to keep emotions in order, and not to let anger overwhelm them.

It would be disastrous if either of them were akumatized, after all.

So Marinette crossed her legs, resting her wrists on her knees and just tried to clear all thought from her head.

There was nothing to focus on. No chirping of birds. No chimes singing in the wind.

Nothing to prevent her thoughts from wandering.

_Adrien's probably gone by now._

She shook her head, forcing the thought away.

"I am in control. I control my thoughts. Things look bleak, but it's alright. Right now, everything is alright."

_Everyone has given up._

"Everything will be fine."

_No one cares about a Ladybug that messes up all the time._

Marinette tightened her fists.

"Tikki, help me."

—

Day 7.

They say you should spend every day like it's your last. But for Adrien, every minute, every second, he feared would be his last.

How would they do it? Would they leak gas in under the door? Would it be painless? Or violent?

He refused his food for a few days, afraid that they would poison it, or put whatever drug they had put in a while back. But eventually, his hunger got the best of him, and he devoured the food loaf before he even tasted it.

For a while, Adrien wondered if they had forgotten about killing him. That is what they were going to do, after all, right? If Salo was so hellbent on hating Ladybug, why keep Chat Noir around?

For several hours, maybe a whole day, he stood in the corner, his hands over his mouth, lest they hear him and remember their job.

—

Day 10.

Back and forth. Back and forth. Marinette shuffled her feet over the dusty floor, trying to get some exercise. Her legs felt weak, and it was getting harder and harder just to stand.

As Ladybug, and by extension Chat Noir, she didn't have any body fat. The type of acrobatics and daredevil stunts she performed on the daily burned through any fat she had.

Now, her hunger was burning through her muscles.

The corset she was forced into some two weeks ago, was now loose, and slipped down her form. It was only for the cold that she even wore it.

—

Day 15.

What if Ladybug forgot him?

What if she had escaped, but thought he was dead, and so she left without him?

What if she left him on purpose?

No.

She wouldn't do that.

Of course she wouldn't. She loved him, right? She kissed him.

No, she was probably still here somewhere, suffering.

This was all his fault. If he had gotten to the docks sooner, or if he had catcylsmed the akuma's chains when he had the chance…

That fight repeated itself over and over in his mind. He could clearly see all the mistakes he made. All the openings he missed. All the time he wasted.

It was like that with every akuma fight though, wasn't it? He goofed around too much. He was having fun being a superhero. He dragged out the fight, and thus his freedom. He teased and flirted and was just over all…

A pain.

A failure.

He deserved this.

His father had kept him home, secluded and safe, and if he had just listened to him and stayed put, none of this would have happened.

Marinette would still be Ladybug, but she'd have a different Chat Noir.

A more capable Chat Noir.

They would have found Hawkmoth by now.

"I'm so sorry, My Lady." He said out loud. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. I'm sorry I was so useless. If…If we get out of here…I promise to always protect you. I promise…to always be by your side. I'll make this up to you…"

If he said anything else, no one else would hear it, since he had covered his face with his hand to sob.

—

Day 21.

Being a woman was hard enough without being locked up in a closet with nothing.

She didn't need to get her period too.

That was like…turning on the sprinkler when it's raining.

This all already sucked. So why did she have to deal with this too?

No toilet. No hygiene products. Heck, she wasn't even wearing anything that would help.

When her biweekly meal came, she begged the man, "can I please have some napkins?"

He just laughed in her face.

Up until then, she hadn't realized how much she bled in a week.

The floor was already disgusting, and the cell reeked of the most disgusting smells a person could come across.

She was surprised she hadn't caught some disease and died already.

She was filthy. She hadn't showered in about a month, and she slept in her own waste.

Marinette was barely hanging on to her humanity. People don't live like this. People don't exist like this.

Unless they were in the holocaust?

Maybe. She couldn't remember all that much about that event. She was having a hard time remembering basic things.

Like what her mom's voice sounded like.

And what sunshine felt like.

And what her dad smelled like after a day in the bakery.

These things were slipping away.

—

Day 27.

Adrien clenched his hands into fists and banged on the door.

Hours and hours, he pounded against the metal, hoping anyone would hear him.

There had to be someone nearby that was on his side! A pedestrian! Or a neighbor!

Or…

Plagg!

His miraculous was still in the safe, right? If he could just…tap into that link that he had with the ring…not that there was any sort of link when the ring was off...

But he'd be damned if he didn't try!

"Plagg!" He screamed. "Plagg wake up!"

He only stopped when he got lightheaded. And then only to catch his breath before he was screaming and banging his fists on his doo again.

"PLAGG! PLAGG!"

After a while, it didn't even sound like a name anymore. The word just poured out of his mouth endlessly, his voice breaking with each scream.

"PLAGG! PLAGG!"

**"PLAGG!" **

He screamed and screamed until his voice went out.

—

Day 32.

No one was coming.

No one was waiting for them.

They had all given up.

So why should she fight anymore?

How long had they been held here? A year?

It felt like it.

Every time she tried to fall into sleep, someone would bang against her door, startling her.

She was done with this.

"Just kill me already."

—

Day 36.

Adrien couldn't stand anymore.

Physically.

His legs were too weak to support him.

His knees ached, because he was unable to stretch his legs in any direction. This cage was just too damn small!

There was supposed to be a fencing tournament coming up. Or maybe it had already passed. He wasn't quite sure how many days he'd been in here.

But there was no way to practice his moves anyway. Not if he couldn't stand.

Wouldn't his father be disappointed? If he forgot all of his skills he worked so hard to learn…

Carefully, he swept the area right in front of the door clear of filth and debris.

Then, he took a sharp bit of concrete and drew a keyboard out on the ground, just barely able to make out the shapes in the faint light.

Once it was all drawn, he began to practice.

Of course, the solid keys didn't make any sound, so he just had to sing the notes out loud to himself. But with the shape his vocal chords were in, they came out as faint whispers instead.

It was good enough. It _had_ to be good enough. Or else he wasn't good enough, and there wouldn't be any point in escaping.

—

Day 39.

She sat in the corner. Her food loaf on the tray sat just inside in the door. It had been there for hours now, but she couldn't find the motivation to eat. Salo was gone, off doing God-knows-what. If she just stopped eating, then she could just die, and spare Salo the satisfaction of finishing her off.

The door opened with a creak, as it always did when dinner arrived.

"Ugh," Salo's voice pierced through the darkness. "Disgusting. I told you not to kill them."

"We didn't!"

A flashlight shone in her eyes and she winced against it, the harsh light like a stab to the brain.

"Would you look at that!" Salo laughed. "Still just barely hanging on."

One of the men nearby gagged loudly.

"Yeah, that's foul. Ugh…she certainly smells like she's dead. Alright piggy, on your feet."

But Marinette didn't move.

"I said stand, Maggot! Did you forget how to listen?"

"…can't…" she whispered.

"What?"

"I…I can't…stand…"

Salo rolled her eyes, and then snapped her fingers.

The men were hesitant. "Do we really have to touch her? She looks like she has the plague."

"Just get her over to the old showers. There's a drain, we'll hose her off."

Marinette turned her face away in the beam of the flashlight, hiding her face in the wall.

A man grabbed her arm and hauled her far too easily onto her feet.

She wobbled on her legs, but eventually found some sort of balance.

The corset slipped right off her body, as if it hadn't been tied on at all.

Salo gagged at the sight of her naked body, what was left of it, at least.

Slowly, she was led to a room that looked like it had once been communal showers. The pipes were rusted and eroded.

But there was a hose with a sprayer on the end running from down the hall.

Her escort let go of her, and gestured her into the room.

She had to use the tile to walk farther in. But eventually, she got to the place they wanted her, and they blasted her with the hose.

The water was absolutely bone chilling, and the pressure nearly knocked her on her ass. But instead she just slowly turned around, allowing them to power wash her.

There was no soap, so the blood and filth still stained her skin, but it wasn't caked on anymore.

After Salo deemed her clean enough, her beloved hospital gown dropped into her hands. She scrambled to put it on, and warm up.

Then she was led from the showers into another room with a table and chairs.

"Take a seat. The next session starts in a few hours, and I have a visitor for you."

"…who?"

"A good friend of yours. They missed you so so much. Talked about you all the time."

Marinette just sighed, her eyes going to the table.

"No? You don't care?"

"…doesn't matter."

"Oh!" Salo sang, a chill running down her spine. "That's just what I wanted to hear! You've finally cracked, haven't you? Oh it took a while, but man, that was worth it! Alright. On to the next phase!" She laughed and laughed, slamming the door behind her as she left.

Marinette sauntered over and sat in the chair, still shivering.

The next phase? There was more?

"Just let me die." She whispered. "I just want to die."


	20. Hosting

You guys watch the season finale? My heart is on the floor in pieces.

As of Miracle Queen, this story no longer follows canon. I really don't want to change it either.

For the next few chapters, we will be showing what happened in the outside world during Adrien and Marinette's month in isolation.

There's nothing graphic in this chapter.

—

Alya didn't go to school the day after Marinette and Adrien's drug trip, or their 'wedding'.

After the drug trip had finally ended, Marinette and Adrien were thrown into their cages to 'sleep' through the day. Then at around 8pm, the stream changed to the big room where they had been tortured.

Sabine noticed it first, the TV in the living room _always_ showing the stream. She was the one to gather everyone together, so they could watch.

The reactions were no different than the last dozen times they watched a session, and as unbearable as it was to watch, it was better to all be together than watching alone. They took turns leaving the room when things got too bleak.

Specifically, the branding.

The wedding lasted only 15 minutes, but it was so painful to watch, it felt like an hour.

When the stream switched to the closet, the 'Honeymoon,' it was easier. Much easier. Alya had taken notes when she could bear it, and made sure to write down every detail she could about the wedding, and Marinette's dream wedding.

As the night went on, Nino and Tom felt hopeful enough to go to bed. Eventually Gabriel felt himself nodding off too much and called it a night. Then Sabine left as well.

Alya, still on her strange sleep schedule from the night before, stayed up all the way until dawn, when Marinette and Adrien were taken out and separated.

After posting on the Ladyblog, Alya took a shower to calm down.

In Adrien's room, Nino had stretched out on the couch and slept with a hard frown.

Alya draped a blanket over him, and crawled into bed.

Hours later, she woke midday.

Nino was gone, and she was alone.

Well, not quite.

"Nino went to school," Trixx provided, helpfully. "He was going to wake you up, but I told him not to. You needed your rest."

Alya sat up, a flash in her mind of the horrors she had seen the night before. But she shook her head to get rid of the image. "Thanks, Trixx. I don't know how I was supposed to function with how little sleep I got. You were right."

"I tend to be," he said smugly.

"What time is it?" She rolled over and looked at the clock. "Ugh, noon."

"I smelled something really delicious downstairs if you're hungry."

"I could eat. What about you? What do fox kwami's eat?"

"I like eggs!"

Alya blinked. "Eggs?"

"Sunny side up, scrambled, runny, on toast, all eggs!"

"…okay. I'll see if we can whip you up some eggs."

Alya slipped into a robe, and shuffled down the stairs.

Gabriel came out of his office at the same time, a familiar pink sketch book under his arm, making eye-contact with her. "Miss Cesaire, I didn't realize you were here."

"Yeah…I stayed up all night watching the stream. I only went to bed an hour before school started." She rubbed her tired eyes. "Again."

Looking at him a little longer, she could see the bags under his eyes, his unshaven face, blood shot eyes and hair that didn't quite cooperate with the comb.

"I understand, completely." He said with a nod. "Unfortunately, I had to turn in around midnight. It was…just too painful."

Alya nodded. "Yeah…it was awful. I should have stopped there too."

"Did…did anything…helpful happen, at least?"

"Hmm?"

"Was there anything said that could have helped us find them?"

She shook her head. "No. Marinette and Adrien were in the closet, talking. They mostly just talked about all the times they had to give flimsy excuses to go fight akumas. Honestly, I'm just happy they were able to talk like that."

"I agree."

It was like a switch was flipped, and Alya suddenly realized she was taking to a fashion mongol while just wearing her pajamas, and hunched her shoulders.

"Well, you must be hungry. Go on, Tom's made these wonderful raspberry danishes." He gestured to the dining room.

"Mr. Agreste?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you...for being so...cool. I know you didn't really want Adrien hanging out with Nino and I...so it means a lot that you'd let us stay here."

Mr. Agreste screwed up his lips, thinking. "I thought I knew what was good for Adrien. I thought it was being at home, safe and protected, with no outside influences. But I was wrong. After his mother disappeared, he became withdrawn, quiet…depressed. Going to school and having friends, being Chat Noir, it brought that light back into his eyes. I just…didn't realize it. I was grieving myself." He sighed. "I know now, that there was nothing I could have done to prevent this."

That was a big fat lie and he knew it. If he hadn't emerged as Hawkmoth, the guardian wouldn't have had to pick wielders for the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous.

And of course, the guardian would pick Adrien, because he is perfect. This was Gabriel's opinion, and he couldn't fault the guardian for the decision. Why choose someone second rate?

And Marinette Dupain-Cheng proved herself time and time again as a perfect pick for Ladybug.

Yes, they were kids.

But they were perfect for the Miraculous. For each other.

And Gabriel had a hard time blaming the guardian over himself.

"You did what you thought was right." Alya shrugged. "No one can fault you for that."

Gabriel gave her a half smile. "I appreciate the sentiment. When Adrien gets out, I promise he can have all the free time he likes."

Alya smiled at that. She had been certain Gabriel would double down and lock Adrien up again for the rest of his natural life.

What went unspoken was the mutual thought: _He's not getting out._

Nathalie came out of the office. "Pardon me, Mr. Agreste, there is an elderly couple here, wanting to speak to Tom and Sabine, by name of Gina and Roland. Should I let them in?"

"That's Mr. Dupain's parents," Alya provided helpfully.

"Then let them in." Mr. Agreste agreed.

"I'll go tell Tom and Sabine," Alya scurried off.

Nathalie buzzed the grandparents in, and welcomed them into the manor.

A few days after the initial broadcast, the media had completely given up loitering outside the gate. If no one in the house had given an interview yet, they weren't likely to do so. So there was no worrying about anyone unwanted coming in the gate.

"Mr. and Mrs. Dupain, thank you for coming, Tom and Sabine will be out shortly."

"Thank you for having us," Gina said with a nod, her eyes wandering all over the fine atrium. "Please, just call me Gina, and this is my husband Roland."

"Nice to know you," the old man greeted with a bone breaking hand shake.

"The pleasure is mine." Gabriel stated, hiding a grimace.

A moment later, Sabine came hurrying out of the kitchen. "Gina!"

"Oh my sweet cannoli!" Gina hurried to her and hugged her tightly. "How is the momma today?"

"Exhausted, I haven't been able to sleep all week."

"I understand my dear, I've been worried sick too."

Then Tom came into the room, followed by Alya. "Mom, what are you doing here?"

Gina embraced him next, cupping his cheeks with her hands. "Oh my sweet boy…Sabine texted me and told me you were here. I was just happy to know you were safe."

Roland spoke up. "When Gina told me what happened, I was absolutely horrified. The audacity of that woman—"

"Roland," Gina warned. "We're not here to bring that up."

Marinette's grandfather trembled with anger, obviously not wanting to drop it, but doing so for his family.

"We stopped by the bakery," Gina was saying, "I used the spare key to get in the back door."

"Was there any media out there?" Asked Tom.

"No. But there was a ton of flowers and cards. We gathered what was salvageable and have them in the car, if you're interested."

Sabine looked at Gabriel.

"I think flowers and cards are fine to bring in. But I wouldn't touch anything that would be edible. There's no telling what people could do to tamper with them."

A shiver went down Alya's spine at the thought. The idea that someone would try to hurt them during this time of grieving was horrible.

"We also cleaned out the bakery shelves and any perishable foods upstairs," said Roland. "It won't do to come home to mold and flies everywhere. That would be devastating to a bakery."

That was one of Tom's biggest worries, and he sighed in relief. "Thanks dad."

It lessened the stress from them ever so slightly, knowing that everything at home would be okay when they could return. It was a small gesture, that helped.

"Did you check upstairs and in Marinette's room?" Asked Sabine. "Did it look like anyone tried to break in?"

"I did check, but all the windows were closed and locked. Except for one small window in Marinette's room. It was opened a little and I couldn't get it to shut. But it would be nearly impossible for anyone to get in there, unless they're a tiny acrobat."

"That window has always been opened. There's no ledges nearby, so I wouldn't worry about it." Sabine assured.

Nathalie came back into the room from the office, and spoke to Gabriel. "Sir, there's a Nadja Chamack outside. She's a reporter from TVi news."

"I supposed she'd like to speak to us?"

"That is what she said, yes."

Gabriel frowned in thought. At some point, he would have to make a statement to the media. And he'd rather do it on his own terms than to be accidentally cornered on the street.

"Oh, Nadja did you say?" Asked Sabine. "Marinette babysat her daughter Manon all the time! She's a really nice woman."

"Alright, if Sabine says she's good, I'll believe it. You can let her in."

A moment later, Nadja came in, shaking Gabriel's hand in greeting. "Thank you for speaking with me on such short notice."

"You can thank Sabine Cheng, she's the one who pointed out that you personally know Marinette."

Nadja then noticed that the Dupain-Cheng's were in the room too. "Oh Sabine!"

"Hi Nadja." She greeted with a sad smile.

Nadja kissed her cheek and held her arms. "How are you doing?"

Sabine may crack if she was asked that one more time. "I'm…I'm holding in there." She delicately wiped her cheek. "Did you want to talk to us?"

Nadja gave a sympathetic squeeze to Sabine's arm. "Yes, I wanted to talk to you and Tom, and Mr. Agreste—I'm sorry, I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

"Oh no no, these are Tom's parents, Roland and Gina."

"Hello!"

"_Ciao!_"

"And I think you've met Alya, Marinette's friend?"

Nadja smiled at her. "Yes, but I know her as the Ladyblogger and _Princess Unicorn_!" She stated the last bit with a bit of pizazz.

Alya laughed. "Manon told you all about that, huh?"

"Yes, she told me all about the times Marinette ditched her and you had to watch her…usually during an akuma attack," she winked.

Yet another piece of the puzzle clicked into place.

"Anyways," said Nadja, "I know this is an extremely sensitive time for you all. But other news stations are putting stories out about Adrien and Marinette, and frankly, some of them just aren't true. From what I've seen, they're pulling information from their instagrams and making everything else up. I was hoping to sit down with you…where ever is most comfortable. You'd be given questions ahead of time so you'd know what I'd ask, and if there's any topic you'd like to stay away from, we won't talk about it. I just…I know Marinette. I love her, and I want to do her justice. I'd be honored if you'd let me do a news segment on them."

Sabine and Tom shared a look, and then glanced over to Gabriel.

"Well," Said Tom. "It's alright with Sabine and I, since we know you and know you'd take good care of them."

"Thank you, I will."

"…but ultimately, it's up to Gabriel. He's kind of been our PR director."

Nadja looked at him, barely holding back the need to outright beg.

"I remember now," said Gabriel, eyes narrowing. "You did that interview with Ladybug and Chat Noir and pried about their relationship. You prodded Ladybug to the point where she left and you became akumatized over it."

Nadja shrank over the accusations. "Yes…that did happen. That was awful, but…to be honest with you, Mr. Agreste, that was my editor's fault. She threatened to fire me if I didn't get a juicy secret from Ladybug. But, that editor is no longer with the studio, and I'm free to conduct this interview how I see fit."

"Ah, the editors." Gabriel chuckled darkly. "Always wanting the best scoops, and never taking no for an answer."

"I will though," she assured. "I know this is difficult, so if you'd rather not, I completely understand."

Gabriel raised his chin, looking at her evenly. "You'll only ask us questions that we've approved ahead of time?"

"Yes sir."

"And it will be recorded and edited before it airs?"

"If you don't want to do it live, we won't."

"And I will approve those who will be interviewed?"

"Of course."

He nodded in agreement. "Then I see no reason it would be a problem. If things are just like you said, and people are making up stories about them, I'd rather we get the facts straight."

"Oh wonderful! Thank you so much, Mr. Agreste!" Nadja clenched her hands in front of her heart, mostly in relief.

"Oh Nadja, have you had lunch yet? Tom was just about to bake some fresh bread for sandwiches, if you'd like to join us."

"That's sounds wonderful! I'd love to!"

Alya took the opportunity to scoot back upstairs and get dressed. It may have been fairly pointless now that everyone had already seen her in her pajamas, but she'd be damned if she had to sit through a meal like that.

As she came back downstairs, Nathalie was going to the door.

"My, they all decided to come at once, hmm?" She muttered to herself.

This time, the mayor and Chloe were at the door.

"Please come in, Gabriel is entertaining some guests in the dining room." Nathalie gestured them onward.

Chloe sided up to Alya. "What guests?"

"Marinette's parents and Nadja Chamack." Alya answered easily.

In the dining room, the mayor and Chloe were enveloped in the Dupain-Cheng hospitality, whisked into seats with plates placed in front of them. No questions asked.

"Mayor Bourgeois, Chloe, you know Nadja Chamack." Gabriel gestured.

"How are you?" The reporter greeted kindly.

"And then of course, Tom Dupain and Sabine Cheng, Marinette's parents."

"Nice to see you again, Mr. Mayor," Sabine greeted, as she set down a pitcher of water and finally took a seat. "These are my in-laws, Gina and Roland."

"Yes, very good," the Mayor finally got out, not quite expecting to be swept into a party of people.

"To what do we owe the pleasure?" Gabriel asked, noticing the man's unease.

"Oh, yes, well…" He took out a folded piece of paper from his coat. "I've just been to the Civil Registrations office. I was curious, you see. I watched the wedding last night, and…well, you know an elected official has to be the one to conduct a wedding ceremony, but the marriage certificate must be registered with the Civil Office." He handed the paper over. "I'm afraid, that wedding was legitimate."

There, in plain writing, the document stated that Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste were married by a Dr. Jean-Pierre Baptiste. It was dated and notarized. The city of the ceremony was blank, however. "Despite the city not being filled in, it is still valid."

"So…what?" Asked Gabriel. "There's nothing we can do?"

"Since they were forced into it, and Marinette is under 18, we can annul the marriage, but one of them has to consent to it first. Until we hear from that from them, the marriage is still legally acknowledged."

Sabine pursed her lips. "Is there any problems that makes for us? I know for them, where they are, it might be easier for them to just be married. But does that effect us at all?"

"It makes you, as parents, no longer guardians of them. Adrien is 18, so he becomes Marinette's guardian. I'm not sure what that will effect right now, but…if one of them passes away, the other will receive any inheritance they may be entitled to. Once they get out, it is ultimately up to them what happens next. In all honesty, I wouldn't worry about it right now. Neither of them are vindictive enough to try to use this against the other for unlawful gain."

Tom stood behind his wife, resting a hand on her shoulder. "So that's it then? Let's say…they want to be married. They want it officially. Do we need to do anything else?"

"Nope. Unless you want to have a religious ceremony or blessing, that is. The civil registration is done, so you're all set to do any sort of traditional ceremony you'd like."

Gabriel smiled slightly to himself, an idea forming in his head.

Alya finally placed the pink sketchbook that he had earlier. It was on the table next to him, though he didn't seem to be thinking about it at the moment.

It was Marinette's. Alya was sure that was the same one she had packed earlier. So why did Gabriel have it? When did he grab it?

"I was wondering, Mr. Mayor," began Sabine, "…I don't know if you're at liberty to talk about it, but I wondered if you knew the status of Edward Savauge?"

The mayor set his fork down and took a shaky drink of his wine. "I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to tell. The Minister of Interior and I are working very hard to come up with a plea deal."

Alya, smart as she was, wasn't an expert in law. As the Mayor explained the situation in not so plain terms, most likely to keep things vague, she focused instead on the Gorilla, who was bringing in boxes full of flowers and cards from the bakery.

"What's happening now?" Asked Chloe, from her side. "In the stream. I haven't watched since the other night when they were hanged. Daddy said they were married…"

"Yeah," Alya said softly. "Its better that you didn't see it. At bare bones, it was a wedding, but…they were both branded with each other's names on their palms. Marinette wore just a corset with a tutu, and Adrien only wore a bowtie. Afterwards, they were put in a closet together. Early this morning, they were both taken and placed in separate closets. I…I haven't actually checked to see what's happened since then."

"They're still there." Supplied Gina, eavesdropping. "I checked just before we came here. They're both in those closets."

Alya sighed. "I guess they get some sort of a break then."

Nathalie came in the room and cleared her throat. "Ahem, a…Mr. Jagged Stone, sir."

Jagged Stone strolled in, looking far less Rock and Roll is usual, and a bit more serious. "Sorry for popping in like this. I just had this totally rock and roll idea that I wanted to share with you, Gabriel! But if I had known you were having a party, I would have brought my guitar!"

Sabine greeted him first, standing to get him a place at the table. "Hello again, Jagged. Won't you join us for lunch?"

"Sabine!" He sang, kissing her on the cheek. "Lunch sounds fabulous! How are you doing, love?"

A wobbly smiled graced her cheeks. "I'm…I'm hanging on."

"Who is this, Sabine?" Asked Roland.

"Who am I?" Jagged laughed, "I'm _the_ Jagged Stone, Old Man. And who are you?"

"Never heard of you. I'm Roland Dupain! The grandfather of Ladybug!" He boasted.

Jagged laughed. "Oh your Marinette's grandfather! Too awesome!"

"He's a famous musician," Gina told her husband. "All the kids like him these days."

"Oh yeah? One of those techno-mumbo-rappers?"

Jagged made a gagging sound. "Eugh, no way! I'm all about Rock and Roll!"

"Rock and Roll huh? Like the Beatles?"

"A bit more…passionate than the Beatles." Jagged clarified. "But I'm prone to a ballad or two."

"Then you're alright by me." Roland gave him a thumbs up.

He took a seat between the mayor and Gabriel, helping himself to four raspberry danishes.

"So, Jagged," began Gabriel. "What was this…totally Rock-and-Roll idea you had?"

Jagged shifted in his chair, gesturing broadly like he was presenting a million dollar idea. "Picture this. A benefit concert in honor of Ladybug and Chat Noir, with me as the headliner. We take donations at the door, and all money goes to Adrien and Marinette's recovery when they get rescued."

Gabriel screwed up his lip. "A benefit concert, hm?"

"And we can get pictures and videos of them from their friends, and play them in between songs. And maybe we could have their friends tell some favorite stories too!"

"Too risky." Gabriel said definitively. "I've asked Adrien and Marinette's classmates not to say anything to anyone for their own safety. Salo could potentially capture someone else to use against Adrien and Marinette. Anyone they are associated with could be a target for this woman."

Jagged crossed his arms and sat back in his chair, thinking. "Well. That is a pickle. But you know, I figure a lot of people don't really know what to do right now. I think gathering everyone together to just…think about them, and pray…that's really the best some of us can do. I have the resources to put on a concert, but I can't even imagine where to start tracking down some mafia types. "

"I do like the idea of the benefit concert." Gabriel assured. "I know Adrien really enjoyed your music. He begged me to let him go to one of your concerts with his friends. I think he would be honored if you did that. I just…we can't put anyone in jeopardy."

"What about recording their voices?" Asked Alya. "I know I have plenty of videos of us hanging out. We could dub over them with stories."

"Hey, now there's an idea! And no one gets stage fright!"

"And…" Alya pushed her luck, "you could get Kitty Section to join you."

"Kitty What-who?"

"Kitty Section. It's a band that Adrien and Marinette were both involved with. Oh! I think you met them once. Mrs. Couffaine's family?"

"Anarka! That's right! Her scraps have a band! Aw, if Adrien and Marinette were involved with them, I'd sure like to play with them."

"Oh! And I know what Marinette's favorite songs of yours were! If you hang around after until after school, my boyfriend could tell you Adrien's. And I have some of Kitty Section's songs on my phone!"

Jagged clapped his hands and rubbed them together. "Alright! Let's get this concert in the works!"

An hour later, after most 'business' had been taken care of, everyone continued to sit around and chat. These were people from all different walks of life, each individually effected by Marinette and Adrien, in or out of the suit. They talked and laughed, reminiscing and sharing funny stories.

"And even though it was an all boys party, Marinette still ended up there. She was wearing this really ridiculous outfit that made her look like a Mexican biker. Oh she was a riot!" Jagged was saying fondly.

"I can't believe my daughter would sneak into a party like that! I knew she was goo-goo over Adrien, but that's just ridiculous!" Sabine laughed.

"She's always been ridiculous, utterly ridiculous!" Chloe stated, "You know that, despite her ginormous crush on Adrien, she still organized a double date for him with another girl?"

"How did you know about that?" Asked Alya.

"Adrikins told me. He gushed about Marinette more than he did about Kagami after that date. If you ask me, he's ridiculous too!"

They all laughed at that.

Sure, airing out Adrien and Marinette's dirty laundry wasn't the most wholesome thing to do, but it was refreshing to see how much nonsense they had gone through together. How ironic their relationship was over the last few years.

Alya watched all of this with a smile.

Then a tear rolled down her cheek, followed by another.

It startled her, and she sniffed heavily, catching Sabine's attention.

"Alya...honey, what's wrong?"

She shook her head. "No, I'm fine. I just...I got emotional for minute. I'm just...happy that everyone is having a good time and have nothing but good things to say about them..." she wiped her eyes. "The last few days before...before the capture, Marinette wasn't always talked so fondly of by our classmates. That's mostly Lila's doing. They were trying to take Lila's side, since she was new to the class and couldn't possibly be lying...It's just nice that everyone knows the truth now. That Marinette is good and mostly honest. She only lied to keep her identity, to protect her secret. To keep all of us safe from Hawkmoth." She covered her face with her hands. "I'm sorry...I just—"

Several pairs of arms wrapped around her.

"It's alright, honey." Said Sabine, with the calming voice of a mother. "We know."

This was a safe place, a room of people who loved her friends. On at least one side of the mask.

"Ahem," Nathalie spoke from the door. "You have another visitor, sir."

"Yes, Nathalie, who is it?"

"A Mr. Wang Fu. He said he'd like to talk to Tom and Sabine as well."

Alya's eyes widened, though she tried not to show any semblance of recognition at the name.

"…let him in." Gabriel stated, suspiciously.

A little old Chinese man in a Hawaiian shirt entered the room, and both Alya and Gabriel froze at his sudden appearance.

But Gabriel wasn't supposed to know who he was, so he just stood and greeted the man cordially, "Welcome Mr. Fu. Is there something I can help you with?"

The man sighed, knotting his hands together. "I've come to apologize. My name is Wang Fu…and I am the one that bestowed the Miraculous on your children."

—

This chapter got too long, so I decided to split it in half.


	21. Confessing

This chapter has some mentions of Episode 'Feast'.

I've been reading the comments and I've been taking them into consideration. If you recognize an idea in here, it's probably because it was suggested in the comments. A lot of you guys made good points, and had plausible solutions for how they would be rescued, but I already thought this whole fic out. Thank you and sorry!

—

"I've come to apologize. My name is Wang Fu…and I am the one that bestowed the Miraculous on your children."

The jolly atmosphere of the room turned to ice in a second, as everyone sat too stunned to say a word.

Sabine stood suddenly, her chair clattering on the floor behind her. "You—You did this?"

He nodded solemnly. "Words…cannot express how sorry I am, for what has happened."

Sabine slammed her fist down on the table. "They were children! They still are children!" All the fake smiles she had been holding onto all day fluttered away, and all that was left was a seething, grieving mother. "How could you think that was a good idea!?"

They waited for his response.

He waited for someone else to yell at him.

When silence passed for far too long, Master Fu finally confessed, "Hawkmoth had to be stopped. I tried to stop him on my own…but I'm far too old for that." He sighed, gathering his thoughts. "I'm sure, whatever excuse I will say won't feel like enough. But…I ask you to please, understand where I came from." He swallowed. "I was just a few years younger than them when I was picked to be a guardian. Children…they bond with the Miraculous far easier than adults. And they can drop their lives much easier than an adult. You've seen it. Marinette's absence from a class, Adrien being in a different place than he's expected to be. They get a slap on the wrist, but if they were adults with jobs? Fired, easily. Being a superhero is a full time job, one that you can't plan around. One that you can't use as an excuse."

Sabine began to relax her tense shoulders, not liking what he was saying, but still understanding it logically.

"But why them?" Tom whispered. "What did our little girl do to deserve this?"

"I gave them a test. Who would be most willing to drop everything in a given moment to do the right thing? And they both passed. And most importantly, they had to be compatible. Soulmates even."

"They…they're soulmates?" Sabine whispered.

"Two halves of the same whole. They were made to wield their Miraculous stones. Once, Marinette picked Adrien to be the wielder of the Snake Miraculous, but it wasn't the right stone for him. They didn't achieve victory until he passed on the snake to someone else, and returned to being Chat Noir."

The assembled considered this with some thought.

"Anyone could have picked up those Miraculous. But no one could have gotten this far. And…their only job was to stop Hawkmoth. Because of who they are, they took the extra initiative to stop regular criminals too." Master Fu raised his head and looked levelly at each of the parents. "Your children are exceptional, I recognized it right away and rewarded them for it. I never wanted…never expected—" He choked.

Sabine's anger disappeared as she watched this old man collapse into tears.

"I mentored them. I trained Marinette to be a guardian, to be the greatest hero in the whole world…but I never expected this…this woman to…"

The room was silent, as everyone mulled over his words.

Sabine was still angry, but seeing this man so filled with regret…it eased her slightly. She was so angry and hopeless all week long, she had basically burnt out.

With a short sigh, she righted her chair. "I need a moment," she declared, walking out of the room.

Tom didn't move. He was in shock. And he wasn't an angry man, so there wasn't anything to say. 'How could you?' and 'You're insane!' Came to the tip of his tongue, but he didn't end up voicing those thoughts. Because Fu's explanation made sense, and Tom was finding it increasingly difficult to blame the old man.

"This is Hawkmoth's fault." He finally said, his voice wavering. "If he hadn't sent out that first akuma, no one would have been picked as Ladybug or Chat Noir. No one would be in this place."

"I agree." Said Gabriel, who had been eerily quiet this whole time. "If Hawkmoth wasn't…such a monster. This never would have happened."

The Mayor and Nadja both clenched their fists in anticipation. Gabriel was not known for his mercy, and for endangering his son, surely this man would be ripped to shreds.

But his wrath never came. Instead, he just sat at the head of the table, staring at his plate in thought.

"And another thing!" Sabine shouted, coming back into the room. "What about the other Miraculous users!? Are they children too?! Do you plan to take all these kids away from their parents!?"

"Most of the other users identities, I don't even know. Marinette was entrusted with the decisions of bestowing the Miraculous. She chose people she trusted and people she could work with. I…would assume most of them are people her age."

Everyone turned and looked at Alya and Chloe.

"My Chloe is Queen Bee." Stated the Mayor, "so does that mean…?"

Alya glanced at Master Fu, trying to gauge what she was supposed to do.

He gave her a solemn nod.

She sighed, "Yeah…I'm Rena Rouge."

At the announcement, Trixx flew out of his hiding spot. "Hiya! This looks super yummy and I'm starving!" He swooped up a brioche bun and started to tear into it.

"I apologize, Alya, my intention in coming was not to reveal your identity."

"It's alright Master. I…I kinda figured since Marinette was outed, it wouldn't be too hard to figure me out."

"Then what was your intention of coming here, Mr. Fu?" Asked Sabine with an edge to the question.

"Well, most importantly…to apologize. And secondly, to assure you I'm trying to make it right. I…have a plan. It's risky, but…it's a plan."

"Well, let's hear it!" Jagged stated, kicking his feet up on the table. "Are you going to give us Miraculous? Because I think I'd be amazing at the Snake. Or is there an alligator? Or maybe a lion?"

Master Fu shook his head. "I'm not comfortable with giving out any more Miraculous. I enlisted Rena Rouge, Carapace, and Queen Bee the moment I saw the broadcast. But it is far too dangerous to let anyone else have that kind of power. Especially right now, when the Ladybug Miraculous is dormant, and unable to use cure."

"Then what do you suppose we do?" Sabine asked. "We barely know what country they're in."

Master Fu inhaled deeply, preparing the for the reaction he was about to receive. "It would require…Hawkmoth's assistance. We would need to lure him out, and then I could bribe him with the Miraculous—"

"You _are _insane!" Sabine shouted. "How dare you! My daughter has been working tirelessly for years trying to keep the Miraculous out of Hawkmoth's hands! And you'd give them away?! Just like that?!"

The old man tensed. "I'm open for other suggestions! There's no Miraculous that can help with this! The Horse can create portals, but only if he knows where it's supposed to go! The Rabbit can travel back in time and stop this from happening, but I don't even _have_ that one right now! All the other Miraculous would require us to actually know where they are! I have nothing else!"

"What did you expect Hawkmoth to do?" Gabriel asked, his voice completely neutral.

"How are you so calm about this, Gabriel!? Aren't you upset?! This man endangered your son!"

"No." Gabriel replied calmly. "Hawkmoth endangered my son. Adrien is as close to perfect as man can get. Academically brilliant, an athletic champion, accomplished in everything he does. Why wouldn't he be picked to be Chat Noir?"

Sabine just stared at him. Rightfully unable to comprehend the insanity that just came from his mouth.

"I ask again, Mr. Fu. What were you expecting from Hawkmoth?"

Again, the old man clenched his fists. "The champions created by Hawkmoth are extremely powerful, especially the more volatile the emotions of the victim. I went through the Ladyblog, looking back at the akumatized villains and their traits. He turned Alya Cesaire an akuma named Lady Wifi, who was able to travel through wifi signals, and pause people in real time. If we can convince Hawkmoth to get on our side, we can have him recreate her. She would be able to travel through the broadcast, and find out where they are."

"Absolutely!" Alya shouted. "I'd do it in a heartbeat! I'm totally on board with this plan!"

"Can you pause bullets?" Asked Gabriel, with a stony voice.

"W-what?"

"If there were several men with guns shooting at you in a ten foot room, could you pause them fast enough that you wouldn't get shot?"

Alya swallowed, but didn't answer.

"And if they simply turned off the router, would you be able to find an escape? Knowing we know nothing about the building they're in?"

She grimaced. He made a very good point. "We have to try! We have to risk it! What else can we do!?"

Gabriel rested his elbows on the table, folding his hands in front of his face. "If I'm right, Hawkmoth is looking for them anyways. And once he finds them, he's going to akumatize them."

"How can you be so sure?" Asked Nadja. "He hasn't made a single akuma since the capture."

"He's tried." Clarified Chloe. "Both me and Ces—er, Alya have both almost been akumatized. I think Nino too. But Hawkmoth removed it once we told him no."

"Still…" wondered Nadja, "there's a lot of people upset right now. It's amazing that he hasn't had someone akumatized just…rampaging and looking through abandoned places."

"Salo still has the Miraculous. I've had my people scouring the internet and blackmarket for any trace of them. If she does try to sell them, I will snatch them up. But until then, we have to assume that the Miraculous are wherever Marinette and Adrien are. And akumatizing them would be the easiest way to get them."

"So, we have two objectives," stated Alya, pulling out her notebook. "One, get Hawkmoth on our side. And two, find out an approximate location of Adrien and Marinette. And an akuma could help us accomplish that second one." She scribbled some notes down, and then crossed them out. "We still can't do this!"

"Alya, it's all we have." Said Master Fu.

"No it's not!" She turned to the Mayor. "Mr. Mayor, you said you and the Minister of Interior are entering a plea deal with Edward Savauge, right? Does that mean a lighter sentence if he tells us where they are?"

The Mayor looked away, his cheeks becoming more and more red. "Well, I'm not sure exactly…the Minister is the one that's in charge of that."

Chloe slapped her hand against the table. "Are you going to save my Adrikins or not?!"

"Chloe dear, you don't understand…there's a lot of politics involved…"

"Politics." Jagged scoffed. "Why bring politics into this? You know what really makes people nervous? Attention. We throw the biggest most rocking concert ever, and we really turn up the heat on these goons!"

"If these people didn't want attention, they wouldn't be broadcasting everything!"

"They aren't." Gabriel clarified. "These people haven't said their names on camera. They wear big sunglasses so they can't be completely ID'd. The only reason we have an idea of who Salo is, is because she let it slip that she was involved with Savauge."

"The detective gave her name too." Said Tom.

"Detective?" Asked the Mayor.

Gabriel shot Tom a warning look.

"I mean…yeah. There was a detective…don't really know who he was though…" He swallowed.

The Mayor wiped his forehead with his napkin. "You'll have to excuse me. I'm not really used to situations like these. The appearance of superheroes was bizarre enough, but such a public kidnapping is so…so nerve wracking. I'm trying my best, I promise."

"But politics." Scoffed Chloe. "What do politics even have to do with anything? Doesn't everyone want Ladybug and Chat Noir to come back? Shouldn't that be something to unite over?"

"You'd be surprised." Said Alya with a shrug. "You'd think that everyone would be grateful for them and all they do…but theres a lot of people who think the akumas and Hawkmoth are just part of Ladybug's plan."

"Wait so…like conspiracy theorists?" Asked Jagged. "They shouldn't count!"

"Exactly. They shouldn't. But they are very loud and dangerous. Like anti-vaxxers. Their stance is spreading. I see it all the time in the forums on the blog. And there's a rumor going around that this broadcast is being staged too."

Sabine gasped and covered her mouth. "How could they think that?"

Alya shrugged. "I first heard about it because Lila was telling it to some of our classmates. Sometimes, it's nicer to think that someone couldn't actually be this awful. They're in denial."

The Mayor stood. "Miss Sabine, thank you for the wonderful meal. I'm afraid I must be getting back to the office."

"Andre." Gabriel stood as well, his voice an octave deeper. "Don't breathe a word of what's been spoken to anyone. Do you understand me? Not a word."

"Crystal clear, Mr. Agreste."

"That goes for everyone. Mr. Fu and Rena Rouge's identities must remain a secret. As well as all talk of Hawkmoth. Forget everything that you heard at this table."

"Of course, Mr. Agreste." Nadja agreed, getting her stuff together. "I should be going too. I will send an email to your secretary with the questions for the interview. Feel free to add or nix any you'd like." She stooped and pressed a kiss to Sabine's cheek. "Goodbye dear, let me know if I can do anything for you."

"Thank you Nadja. This was already a great help."

She shook Tom and Gabriel's hand, and then finally Master Fu's. "It was nice meeting you. Er—actually, I have no idea who you are and I've never seen you before in my life." She shot a thumbs up back at Gabriel, before leaving the room.

The Mayor was quick to follow, only offering an awkward wave as he left.

"Well, that wasn't suspicious at all." Said Jagged, putting a toothpick in his mouth.

Master Fu was frowning, deep in thought, before Gabriel cleared his throat. "Mr. Fu, may I talk to you in my office? Alone?"

Master Fu cringed, but knew it was inevitable. "Yes, I suppose that would be fine."

"You don't mind if I hang around a while, do you Mr. Agreste? Alya and I are going to plan that concert."

"Not at all, Jagged. Please make yourself at home." And with that, he and Master Fu left the room.

As they crossed the lobby in silence, Fu couldn't help but feel like a child again. He was 150 years older than this man, but he felt like a young guardian in training, about to be scolded by his master.

"It was foolish of you to reveal your identity like that, in front of those people." Gabriel scolded once the door closed to the office, his back turned.

Master Fu nodded solemnly. "That may be. But I had to get you to listen. This is a very dangerous time for you and Marinette's parents. You wouldn't trust a stranger."

Gabriel sighed. "I understand that. But I knew who you were the moment I saw you."

Master Fu frowned at that, still standing just in front of the door of the office. "A hunch?"

"No…from Feast."

Fu's eyes widened, with growing horror in his stomach. "Then, I suppose it really was foolish for me to reveal myself." He backed up into the door. "I…I must be on my way."

"I'm not finished with you yet." Gabriel said with a bite. "You have to understand the position I'm in."

Fu was immensely happy that he purposefully left the Miracle Box in the care of Marianne for the evening. He knew he was taking a risk when he came here and decided to reveal himself to them. At least he had that much forethought. "What position? I will not ease the burden of guilt you have put on your own shoulders."

"Nor do I expect you to. Please, come away from there. Have a seat."

Hesitantly, Fu did as the man instructed, and sat in a chair in front of his desk.

"You wanted to get in contact with Hawkmoth, correct? You wanted to persuade him to get on your side."

"Yes, I was just…not expecting to deal with him without preparation."

"I'm not going to hurt you." Gabriel said with finality. "I…need your help."

"I understand," said Fu with a nod. "But I can only offer my assistance, not any more Miraculous. I already said this."

"And that is something I understand as well." Gabriel sighed. "I…I will worry about Adrien and Marinette. My plan is to akumatize them the moment I can figure out where they are. Alya and Nino suspect they're in Germany, so I plan to take my leave and see if I can sense them."

"I see."

Gabriel rested his elbows on the desk, steepling his fingers. "Many years ago, when Adrien was still a boy, my wife and I took a trip to Tibet."

Master Fu was startled by this abrupt change in topic, but didn't comment.

"There was a jewelry artisan there, peddling his wares. Most of his pieces were garbage, but there were two that stood out from the rest. A peacock and a butterfly brooch. I bought them as a pair, the butterfly for me, and the peacock for my wife. The artisan admitted that he wasn't the original creator, that the jewels had been discovered in a cavern nearby, along with a book. I bought that as well."

Master Fu listened intently, not saying a word.

"Soon after returning to Paris, my wife and I discovered the truth of our brooches. The kwamis appeared one day, and allowed us to transform. I used Nooroo as a muse, taking inspiration when given. My wife, likewise used Duusuu to create sentimonsters, just of small size, to keep around as pets, and even more artistic inspiration. We, of course, hid this from Adrien." Gabriel stood suddenly, and beckoned Fu to follow him.

The old man did so, with some level of caution.

Gabriel went to the painting of his wife, gesturing to the spot next to him.

As Master Fu stepped up to look at the woman, Gabriel continued. "While we prospered in business and bonded over this magic and strengthened our marriage, my wife became sick. It started with a cough. Then coughing fits that had her doubled over. She was extremely weak and had more and more dizzy spells. Eventually, we realized it was because the peacock Miraculous was broken, but by then, it was too late." He reached out, and pushed a sequence of buttons on the canvas, the floor shuddering and beginning to sink underneath them.

Master Fu had to scoot closer as the elevator descended.

They took the ride in silence, eventually coming into a cavernous atrium. There were trees and a garden up ahead.

Still wary, Master Fu followed Gabriel down the steel bridge, ending up in front of a glass coffin, with the woman in the painting asleep inside.

Fu gasped at the sight.

"She's in a coma." Gabriel explained, with real, actual sorrow in his voice. "And there's no way for her to wake up. I wanted the Black Cat and Ladybug miraculous…because Nooroo told me together they create ultimate power, and that I could make any wish I wanted. I could wish for Emilie to wake up. I'd…I'd have her back again. Then I wouldn't need the Miraculous after that. You could have them back!" He swallowed. "I know the world thinks I'm selfish, awful, cruel, and they probably imagine the worst case scenario if I were to get them. I might take over the world, or destroy it…or something equally evil. But…all I wanted was my wife back…for my son to have his mother back."

They stood there in silence, as Master Fu digested all the information he just received.

"I'm sorry." He began. "But…even if you had both of the Miraculous, things would not go the way you'd want them to."

Gabriel turned to face him, indicating that he was listening, but not doing more than that.

"The wish from ultimate power works in equivalent exchange. It changes what is true, but only by a step. If you wished for unfathomable riches, someone else would lose their wealth. If you wished for power, someone in power would fall. And…if you wished for your wife to wake, someone else dearly beloved by you would fall into a coma in her stead. Most likely, Adrien."

Gabriel let out an anguished moan at the news, holding his arms over his chest.

"Further more, the Miraculous, when used together, take a toll on the body. Marinette used the mouse, the fox, the cat, and the Ladybug at the same time, but as different versions of herself, because of the mouse miraculous. If she had activated them all together at once, she would have fallen ill, or even died. It was a heavy enough burden even to wear them.

"If you were to activate the Cat and Ladybug at the same time, and survive that intense power, you'd never be the same person."

"So what am I going to do?" He dropped his arms in frustration. "Let her go? I can't! She's still here! Still alive!"

Master Fu looked back to the coffin. "Do you mind if I examine her?"

With a sigh, Gabriel pressed a button on the coffin, opening it. "Please hurry. She can't survive long without the respirator."

Fu nodded and got to work, feeling her wrist, and her neck right under her jaw. He pressed softly on her temple, and pinched the base of her neck.

"How long has she been in this state?"

"Four years."

He rested the back of his hand against her nose.

"Well?" Asked Gabriel, now becoming impatient.

"She can be saved." Fu determined, backing away from her and allowing the lid to close again.

"What will it take?"

"Time, and money." Fu said outright. "Because of you awakening the old sentimonster from Tibet, the temple of the guardians has been restored. If you were to send Emilie and the peacock miraculous there, they would surely be able to help her. But they will most likely take the Miraculous in exchange. And…I don't know how long it will take for her to be healed."

Gabriel breathed. A real, true breath of relief. "Money is no problem. I can send the private jet there and have a helicopter waiting on site. As for time…I've waited this long. I can wait a little longer."

"You should also send whoever is currently using the Peacock too. Mayura is not well."

"Nathalie…she would be the best to go anyways, to explain to the monks what has happened."

"I will write a letter," said Fu. "They don't speak French."

"I would go too, but I have to be here for Adrien. I…I hate that I have to pick between them."

"Emilie will be in good hands." Master Fu assured.

Gabriel took Fu's hand in a firm handshake. "Thank you, Mr. Fu. This eases my mind. The thought of losing both of them…" He harshly inhaled, holding in emotion. "…is not something I'd like to think about."

"I understand. I will prepare the arrangements for the flight."

—

Detective Joseph Bertony. One of Europol's best and brightest. A sharp man who lived a hard life.

He'd seen some shit.

At present, he's at his hotel room in Le Grand Paris, reviewing the facts. Again.

There were countless coffee cups strewn all over the room, as he had been awake for days watching and noting everything in the stream.

The hotel room looked like a library had diarrhea. Papers and maps were scattered across every surface.

Among it all, the detective stood looking at the map on the coffee table. The very same map that Alya and Nino had marked a few days prior. The detective had his own map, in which he cross-referenced with theirs.

His map was covered in little red 'X's, of all the places his hunches had taken him to.

Given the report he had just received, he crossed one more location off.

There was only one left.

It couldn't be.

But all the evidence made sense! Every scrap of information he had snagged, every bit of information logged from the servers in Montparnasse.

They weren't in Germany at all! They were—

There was a knock at the door.

The detective didn't answer. He had put the 'Do Not Disturb' sign on the handle. Why was anyone bothering him?

Another knock. "Room service."

"I'm busy!" He shouted back, rather harshly. God, he was so tired!

The interloper persisted, and knocked again, harder.

Annoyed about being interrupted, the detective crossed the floor to the threshold. "Look, I'm really not in need of anything, so if you could just leave me—"

He opened the door, only to stare into the barrel of a gun.

And then—


	22. Reporting

This chapter is so lonnnnnngggggggg.

Nothing graphic.

—

"Don't be bemused, it's just the news. I'm Nadja Chamack, you're watching TVi news at six. It's been two weeks since the capture of famed Superheroes Ladybug and Chat Noir, and Paris is abuzz with news, rumors, and theories. Tonight, I'll be sitting down with the friends and family of the two heroes, to find out what they are really like beneath the mask."

She turned in her chair, "but first, in a stunning twist, Edward Savauge walks free! On the top of the most wanted lists in six countries, Savauge was arrested after a fight with Ladybug and Chat Noir. At the scene, Ladybug told police that Savauge threatened and had his men open fire on 25-year-old Charles Exavier. The trial was set to take place at the end of the month, but Savauge was released yesterday, on the grounds of lack of evidence. No witnesses were able to take the stand, as Ladybug and Chat Noir are being held as captives, and the six men that were with Savauge the night of the murder have been pronounced dead from cranial trauma sustained by Chat Noir and Ladybug during the altercation."

The shot changed to Minster of the Interior, Arthur Vanderguard, at a press conference. "Talking with M. Savauge, we have ruled out his involvement with Salo and the capture of Ladybug and Chat Noir. He has agreed to cooperate with us to find them, so that they can be rescued."

The shot changed back to Nadja. "Though Savauge has stated publicly he is willing to cooperate with investigators, he hasn't followed up on that promise, a move that has critics questioning the Minister's choice."

A still shot of the Le Grand Paris came up on the screen behind Nadja. "Paris Police Department has finally released the name of the body found murdered in the Le Grand Paris hotel. Detective Joseph Bertony was shot point blank in the head five days ago. The night of the murder, officers were alerted by hotel staff that there was a fire on the balcony of the hotel room, and the occupant was not responding to staff at the door. When the officers broke down the door, they found Detective Bertony's body on the floor, and all of his belongings burning on the balcony. There was no sign of forced entry, and the security tapes were wiped clean the night of the murder. Detective Bertony was the lead investigator on the Ladybug and Chat Noir case. This marks the fourth investigator linked with the case that has been killed off duty."

The shot again changed to the Minister of Interior at the Press Conference. "My officers assume the risk of bodily harm and losing their life when they join the force. But they don't expect to be in danger when they go home to be with their wives and children. Being assigned to the task force of looking for M. Agreste and Mlle. Dupain-Cheng, is a death sentence. We unfortunately have not made any headway in the investigation, despite all that has been broadcasted. We believe that Detective Bertony had a lead, but all information with him in his hotel room was reduced to ash on the balcony. Because of the nature of these murders, I will be launching an inside investigation among the police in Paris, conducted by an outside attorney. Mayor Bourgeois has approved the city's plan for a comprehensive, independent, transparent investigation of the task force members' misconduct. As much as we owe to Ladybug and Chat Noir, we can't afford to lose anyone else to these terrorists. This investigation will most likely further disrupt our work on the Ladybug and Chat Noir case.

"While this investigation goes on, I ask that everyone stop watching the stream on 'make ladybug suffer dot com'. Giving Salo and her men attention is only fueling their torment of the victims. Ladybug and Chat Noir will be safer if we stop watching.

"To the families of M. Agreste and Mlle. Dupain-Cheng, I am truly sorry."

Nadja was back on the screen. "Mayor Bourgeois was unavailable for comment. Though the police urge everyone to stop watching and paying attention to the capture, other Parisians have a different opinion. One such case is President of the Adrien Agreste Fan club, Wayhem Marot."

The shot changed to outside of Tom and Sabine's Bakery, where there were heaps of flowers, gifts, and balloons strewn everywhere. Wayhem was in front of the camera, a lit candle in hand. "I'm the same age as Adrien. We're friends. There's not much I can do, but I have to do something, you know? So I organized this candlelight vigil for Adrien and Marinette, outside her parent's bakery. I have a voice, and I know how much my generation can change through social media. We can make ourselves heard. Someone out there has to know something, right? I started using the hashtag #freeAdrienette on Instagram, and it's taken off. Everyone is using it! The more we can get people talking, the better!"

There were various shots of different kids taking pictures with the bakery and their gifts that they left. Nadja was speaking over the footage. "Classmates, friends, family, akuma victims, and just plain strangers. People from all walks of life have showed up to pay respects to the heroes of our city. There's been people praying together, singing hymns, and just sharing stories, all in the hopes that their words will reach Marinette and Adrien wherever they are."

The shot came back to Nadja in the studio. "Several churches are offering counseling and support in wake of the traumatic footage. You can find the full list on our website."

There was a cut to Jagged Stone, playing the keyboard on a houseboat parked in the Seine. Nadja dubbed over the footage. "It's not just teens getting vocal. Rock legend and long time fan of Ladybug and Chat Noir, Jagged Stone, has been the biggest proponent of turning up the heat on Salo."

"I love Marinette," said Jagged. "She's designed two of my album covers and these wicked sweet glasses I wear every time I'm in France. She's just the sweetest girl with the best 'can do' attitude. She was the reason I decided to participate in that reality show where I tried to bake at her parents bakery. She always has good ideas! And Adrien! He's one cool dude! I met him a few times, because of his career, and despite being a sheltered rich boy, he's very humble and generous. As for Ladybug and Chat Noir, I really love them. They've saved my hide several times, and always in the most rock and roll ways!"

"Jagged Stone and Kitty Section, a young band Adrien and Marinette are both affiliated with, will be performing next week at a benefit concert under the Eiffel Tower. Entry is free, but they will be taking donations for M. Agreste and Mlle. Dupain-Cheng's recovery."

"I hope everyone comes. I sat down with some of their friends and planned the perfect set list, just for them. We also have some really radical surprises in store!" Said Jagged.

They went back to Nadja in the studio. "That concert will be happening next week on Thursday, at 7 pm."

The image changed to a protest outside of the TVi news station. "Among the chorus of voices shouting to save Ladybug and Chat Noir, there's a group singing a different tune. For the last two days, protesters have gathered in front of our news station, and they have a completely different take on the situation."

A protestor came up on the screen, holding a sign that said, 'This isn't art, it's torture porn.' "We know the truth. This broadcast is completely fake. It's a performance piece created to incite emotion. But it's gone too far, and it needs to stop."

Nadja's voice again dubbed over the footage. "This is an opinion held by a lot of people, who are becoming more and more vocal as the stream goes on. One such opponent is long time friend and fellow model to Adrien, Lila Rossi."

Lila came up on the screen, standing with the protestors outside the station. She was teary-eyed and delicately dabbed her cheek with a napkin. "It sickens me. Adrien isn't actually Chat Noir, and Marinette Dupain-Cheng isn't Ladybug. You see, Adrien and I…well, I see no point in keeping it a secret anymore, we were dating. Under the radar, of course, he's not allowed to date. And then he told me that he came up with this idea of a performance piece and asked if I wanted to play the role of Ladybug. I said no, absolutely not, and so he broke up with me. I think the whole wedding bit was really just a ploy to make me jealous and have me crawl back to him. But now I know that he's just sick and wants attention. Marinette has been that way since I met her. She's always tried to get attention and lied to do so. I think we should all stop giving it to them and turn off the stream."

They went back to Nadja in the studio. "Though Rossi's relationship with Adrien Agreste is unconfirmed by Adrien himself, friends and classmates of the two have been vocal on social media, saying things like," a screen shot came up. "'Lila is a liar and attention hog. Don't take attention away from where it should be. #saveAdrienette' And, 'Adrien and Marinette are Ladybug and Chat Noir in and out of the masks. That much should be obvious! #saveAdrienette'.

"If Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste are not the real Ladybug and Chat Noir, the real heroes have decided to stay silent. When we come back from the break, I'll be sitting down with some of the people that know Mlle. Dupain-Cheng and M. Agreste the best."

—

Commercial Break

—

"Welcome back to TVi news. I'm Nadja Chamack. Earlier this week, I had the privilege to sit down with some of the most important people in Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste's lives. I wanted to know the truth, and in the wake of Ladybug and Chat Noir's identity reveal, there's more fiction than fact.

"The first guest I interviewed was my own daughter, Manon Chamack. Marinette babysat her once or twice a week, for the last three years, during the entire duration of her being Ladybug. Because Manon is so young and such a fan, I haven't told her exactly what is happening to Marinette and M. Agreste. Please keep this in mind as you watch the interview."

The shot changed to a previous recording, of Manon sitting in a comfy arm chair, facing Nadja.

"Hi Manon, thank you for letting me interview you."

"Of course mommy! I love being interviewed! What did you want to talk about?"

"I want to talk about your babysitter, Marinette."

"Marinette? She's the best! What do you want to know?"

"What words would you use to describe Marinette?"

Manon rested a finger on her chin in thought. "Um…pink."

"Pink?" Laughed Nadja.

"Yeah! She loves pink! Her whole room is pink!"

"Alright! What about her personality? How does she act?"

"Goofy!"

"Goofy? How so?"

"Well, she tries really hard to be serious, but then she trips over her feet or drops stuff or says her words all backwards! It's really funny! Especially when she gets around this blonde boy from her school!" Manon covered her mouth. "Whoops! That's a secret!"

Nadja smiled. "That's alright Manon. Would you say that Marinette is responsible?"

"Mmmm, most of the time."

"Not all the time?"

"No, 'cause sometimes she has to leave me with someone else while she goes and does something. She's kind of scatter-brained."

"What would you say if I told you that Marinette is actually Ladybug?"

Manon jumped up on the chair. "I knew it!"

That was actually surprising. "You did?"

"Yeah! She made me these Chat Noir and Ladybug dolls! They're at her house right now, so I can't show you, but whenever we play with them, she always knows exactly how Ladybug and Chat Noir act! That, and she's really smart! She always knows what to do!"

"You really like her then?"

"Of course! When is she coming back from vacation? I really miss her!"

Nadja gave her a little smile. "Hopefully soon. Thank you so talking with me, Manon."

"You're welcome, Mommy! Can I go play now?"

"Yes, go on ahead."

Manon beamed and skipped off stage.

Nadja turned to face the camera.

"Our next guests are close and personal friends of both Adrien and Marinette, as well as Chat Noir and Ladybug. One of them even claims to be the foremost Ladybug expert. Nino Lahiffe and Alya Cesaire."

Nino and Alya came from backstage, hand in hand, and sat in the chairs across from Nadja.

"Thank you for having us, Nadja." Alya said.

"Oh, well thank you for being willing to speak! I really wanted to get both of you here because, as a mom, there's just some things you hide from your parents."

Alya and Nino both nodded at that.

"Now, I don't want you to get them in trouble, but if your willing to share…"

"Ask away!" Said Nino, with a little too much gusto.

Nadja smiled. "How would you describe your relationship with Marinette and Adrien, as them, not in the masks?"

Alya spoke first. "Marinette is my best friend. I'd like to say I'm hers too…but I think Chat really gets that title…and before they were captured, there was some drama at school, and I wasn't being a very good friend. So as of right now, she might not think too fondly of me."

"I see. We'll come back to that drama, though. What about Adrien?"

She laughed. "I have a love-hate relationship with Adrien. He sits in front of me in class, so we talk quite a bit, but he's kind of oblivious. So whenever Marinette tried to get her to notice him, he would consistently put her in the friend zone. I can't be mad at him for that though. He's way too nice."

"Fascinating! So Marinette had a crush on Adrien?"

"Yes. It seemed like everyone knew it except for him. We even had bets over it."

Nadja laughed at that. "And you Nino?"

"Adrien's my best bud, hands down, uncontested. Before he came to school, I didn't really have any friends. Then he sat next to me and we hit it off pretty quickly. He's the best."

"If I'm not mistaken, you were akumatized over him, right?"

"Yep! I wanted to throw him a birthday party, so I went to his dad to ask. Mr. Agreste is pretty strict, so he turned me down, and I got super angry, and pow! The Bubbler was born! I'm not really proud of it, but I definitely think there's worse reasons to be akumatized."

"Of course there are." Nadja offered with a smile. "And how would you describe your relationship with Marinette?"

"Well, she's…we're a quad, the four of us. Since Alya and I are dating, we usually do things as a group. And 90% of the time, Alya tries to turn it into a double date."

"Hey! Don't throw me under the bus!"

"Just sayin'! Anyways…I've known Marinette since kindergarten. But we only really became friends when Alya and Adrien came to school." Then he laughed. "Actually, I used to have a major crush on her."

Nadja honed in on this juicy detail. "Oh you did, did you?"

"Sure did! I asked Adrien about it, and he convinced me to ask her out on a date to the zoo. I was beyond nervous, so Adrien sat in the bushes with a mic, while I had an earpiece in."

Nadja out right laughed. "That's adorable! How did it end?"

"Well, before I could mention I had a crush, there was an akuma attack. Marinette and I got separated, but soon Ladybug came on the scene, and pushed Alya and I into an empty cage for several hours. After that, well…I realized I had more in common with Alya than Marinette. I think it worked out okay."

"That is just the most precious story! I love hearing about them as normal teens! So, Ladybug is responsible for setting you two up?"

"Absolutely!" Giggled Alya. "And she knows it. I talk about how grateful I am to Marinette all the time."

"Precious!" Nadja smiled. "Now, you also run the Ladyblog, correct?"

"Yes."

"Can you tell me a little more about that?"

"It started the day Ladybug debuted. Stoneheart appeared and my first instinct was, 'A supervillain? There must be a superhero too!' And so I took off after him. I always loved superheroes, and the chance to be Lois Lane was just too strong. So I was the first person to get footage of Ladybug and Chat Noir in action. I made a blog around it and made sure to chase every akuma I could, just to catch a glimpse of them."

"You still hold the privilege of the longest interview with Ladybug to date, correct?"

"That's right. Now that I know who she is, I know exactly how that happened. I mean, I know it's because she trusted me, but up until that interview, Ladybug had been kind of personally closed off. She didn't stick around after battles for more than a few minutes, and she didn't give any reporters any clues to what she was like. Until she made it a priority to say hi to me, specifically. I had footage of her coming up and talking to me that I recorded on my phone. Right after I took it, I went to show Marinette, and she accidentally deleted it! Luckily, I had backed it up, but she didn't know that. But, she gave me a private interview as an apology."

"So you are pretty close to her in both aspects of her life."

"Yep! I've even gotten to help her a few times, because I'm _there_. I mean, it's also gotten me in trouble. But it keeps things exciting."

"I bet! And you, Nino? Are you close with Chat Noir too?"

"Uh…not really. I mean, he's really cool and I'm always ready to help, but I'm not as gung-ho on superheroes as Alya is. Don't get me wrong, I love them! I just…kind of lament being dragged around town during an akuma attack."

"Kinda scary, right?"

"Exactly. I don't like getting caught in the crossfire of akumas."

"That's understandable." Nadja said with a nod. "So, in your opinion, Alya…what do you think prevented you from noticing Ladybug was Marinette? I watched your blog plenty of times and you made some major break throughs. You're probably the person that got the closest to ever figuring out who she was. What about Marinette ruled her out as a suspect?"

Alya laughed. "She's so clumsy! I love her to death, but oh my god, the amount of times she'd trip on nothing or fall down the stairs was no joke. Nino and I actually had an inside joke that she was only tripping to get closer to Adrien, because nearly every time she fell, he was there to catch her."

"Kind of like their superhero dynamic too?"

"Yeah, actually."

"Do you think they knew who each other were?"

"No, they didn't." Alya said confidently.

"What makes you so sure?"

"Well, Marinette could barely talk to Adrien, and she'd get really shy around him. But out on the field, she was constantly rebuffing his flirting. I don't think either was an act."

"And likewise," added Nino. "Adrien is friendly with Marinette, but never flirted with her, but when they're Ladybug and Chat Noir, he's almost irritating with how corny he is. That never changed the whole time they've known each other."

"I see! How funny is it that they were crushing on each other, and didn't even know it was the other?"

"It's so ironic, and only something like this would Marinette." Alya laughed, but her smile started to fade. "I just…wish we could have found this out some other way. I just hope that this means when they get out, they can just depend on each other and be happy."

Nadja offered a soft smile. "Yes, I think they have more than earned a lifetime of happiness after this." She glanced at her notes. "So, you said that Marinette is clumsy, and shy behind the mask. I'm sure there's much more to her, right?"

"Oh of course! Those are just some of her less-Ladybug qualities. She's also extremely creative! She's been recognized by Audrey Bourgeois and Gabriel Agreste for her fashion work. And she'd even designed stuff for Jagged Stone!"

"Manon mentioned some dolls that she made too," added Nadja.

"Yeah! They look like something you'd buy in store! And her creativity wasn't just a 'Marinette' trait. She also had these crazy ridiculous plans that she pulled off with her Lucky Charm. I think that's why she was such a good Ladybug, because she was able to drum up these surprise solutions that Hawkmoth never saw coming."

"That is something I've always appreciated about Ladybug," Nadja said, "I always found myself asking 'how in the world will they win this time?'" She shifted in her seat. "I'd love to just keep gushing about Marinette, but I'd like to know more about Adrien. Nino, did you ever suspect Adrien might be Chat Noir?"

"Oh, dozens of times," he chuckled.

"What!" Cried Alya, "And you never told me?!"

"I was never sure! And you never would have believed me, anyways."

"Why? What tipped you off?" Asked Nadja, leaning closer.

"That guy loves cat puns way too much."

Alya looked at him blankly. "Really? That was the clue?"

"Okay, hear me out. Adrien, being a famous model, was always putting his best foot forward. He is extremely polite, well mannered, and very smart. Top of our class across the board, all around stellar guy. But one on one, he's a huge dork."

"Tell me more."

"Well, I don't want to get too deep into it on national television, but like I said, he loves his puns. He's also a huge video game and anime nerd. He spent most of his life homeschooled, so he consumed a lot of media. His reference game is on point."

"I think that explains some of his more theatrical performances as Chat Noir."

"Exactly. I swear he has way too much fun with his job. Oh! And, he is _not_ shy about his massive crush on Ladybug. When I found that out, I kind of regretted it, because he would go on and on about her beauty and elegance, and how smart and amazing she was. It was disgusting."

"So he's as romantic in real life as he is as Chat Noir?"

"No no, it's way more subdued. He only talks about Ladybug in private. And to all his other girl friends, he's just super nice. Like Marinette, he really liked her."

"But not, like-like, right?"

"I always thought he was in denial, because he would get this soft look around her, and always compliment her. She was special to him, for sure."

Nadja rested her hand on her heart. "I'm sorry, I just keep getting swept up in the romance of it all. I'm a hard core LadyNoir shipper."

"Me too!" Cried Alya. "Oh my gosh! Marinette _hated_ it when I talked about LadyNoir, and now I know why! Whenever someone would go, 'oh they're destined to be together' she'd go, 'platonically?' I think she was the only one in our class that wasn't a LadyNoir shipper."

"Oh that's hilarious! That poor girl had to listen to people talk about her love life all the time, but couldn't do a thing about it. Meanwhile, Adrien was doing the same thing, and loving every minute of it."

"We were probably adding fuel to his fire."

"Okay okay okay," said Nadja, still giggling. "Now, earlier, you said there was drama going on at school. Are you comfortable talking about that?"

"Oh…yeah. You know, this thing happened right before they went missing, so it helps put them in context. So…" Alya thought back to that day, which already felt like a year ago, even though it was only a couple of weeks. "I won't mention any names. But the same day Ladybug and Chat Noir caught that drug dealer, a classmate of ours shared that she had seen Marinette taking pictures of Adrien while he was in the locker room."

Nadja's expression was doubtful. "That doesn't sound like Marinette."

"You're right, it doesn't. But the person who said this hadn't given us a reason to not believe her, and so we did. Adrien was the only one who stood up for her, but he wouldn't have known. Up until that point, he was oblivious to how she felt about him, so he had no reason to believe she would do such a thing."

"But you thought otherwise?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Marinette is a very…strong person. Morally upstanding and strong sense of justice. But they always say you do crazy things when you're in love. I, and everyone else in class, thought this was something like that. Adrien went through her phone, and found no photos, and I should have believed her at that point…but I didn't. Adrien talked to Nino, and tried to get him to understand that both he and Marinette were aware that this person had a problem with lying. I chose not to believe it…until I was faced with the truth that Marinette was Ladybug. Then I felt like an idiot. More than just falling for a very obvious lie, but also for not using my journalistic integrity to investigate the situation and get proof. That's something I'd like to apologize on public television for."

Nadja gestured at the camera.

Alya turned at looked right in the lens, pretending it was the eyes of her best friend. "Marinette, and Adrien, I am so sorry. I was a bad friend, and I could have helped ease unnecessary suffering, but I listened to my head, and not my guts. I'm sorry for everything, and I will do whatever it takes to regain your trust."

"Same for me, dudes." Said Nino. "Adrien shouldn't have had to convince me of anything. I should have just known. I'm sorry."

Nadja hummed with a small smile. "That felt really genuine. I hope they see that."

"I hope so too." Alya stated, rubbing her wrist over her cheek.

"Well, thank you, again, for talking with me. I know this must be difficult talking about them right now."

Alya sighed. "It hurts, but I want people to know that they were—are even more amazing in real life as they are as superheroes."

"I believe it! When we come back, I'll be talking to the parents of the Ladybug and Chat Noir. We'll learn a little more about their upbringing and what they did in their free time."

—

Commercial Break

—

"Welcome back. Tonight I'm sitting down with friends and family of Ladybug and Chat Noir. My next guests are the parents of Marinette Dupain-Cheng, also known as Ladybug, Tom Dupain and Sabine Cheng."

The couple came out from backstage, and shook hands with Nadja before sitting down.

"Thank you, both of you, for coming here to talk with me. I know this is a really hard time for your family."

"It is," said Sabine, "But, when we saw some of the things being said about Marinette, we couldn't just sit silently anymore. Someone sent me an article that claimed that she was a drug addict that had been to rehab several times…and that's just not true."

"Well, that's why I asked you here. I only want the truth."

"Thank you, Nadja."

"Of course, Sabine." She glanced down to her notes. "Now, the big question that's on everyone's minds: did you know that Marinette was Ladybug?"

They both shook their heads. "No idea. There were days when I would see Ladybug on the news, and my heart would clench, because she looked so much like Marinette, and I would have this thought like, what if that was my baby girl?" Sabine swallowed. "But that's as close as it got. I'm sure other mothers had thoughts like that."

"It wasn't that big of a surprise," added Tom. "Marinette is the class president, she's always been very vocal about justice and doing what is right. When she started having unexplained absences from class, we asked her what was wrong and she just shrugged and said 'I don't know.' She couldn't tell us she was Ladybug, but she also didn't want to lie. I think that speaks strongly to her character."

"Did you ever interact with her as Ladybug?"

"A few times," answered Sabine. "There was a time were Jagged Stone came to our bakery for a reality show. While there, his assistant was akumatized and trapped all of us in our house. We really had some one on one time with Ladybug and Chat Noir then."

"Can you tell me a little more about Marinette's childhood?"

"Oh I love talking about baby Marinette!" Gushed Sabine, "she was just the most precious and adorable thing! Very shy. She did not like people very much. But she was definitely a girly-girl. She's always loved pink, and making things. From a young age, we taught her all about baking, and she picked it up quickly. She's not perfect, but she's got macaroons down pat! She's an avid gardener too, having her own roses and spices growing up on her balcony."

"It's been mentioned a few times that she's very creative, can you elaborate on that?"

"She absolutely loves fashion. Ever since she was a little girl, she loved designing dresses out of tissue paper for her dolls. I think it really started after watching 'Sleeping Beauty' and watching the fairies making the dress that turns pink and blue throughout the film. After that, I saw her paying special attention to the clothes others were wearing, and she stared drawing them out more and more. A few years ago, she designed a derby hat that won a contest run by Gabriel Agreste, and even Audrey Bourgeois was impressed by it—" She suddenly stopped, and smiled a little wistfully. "Madame Bourgeois offered her an internship in New York, and we all encouraged her to pursue it, and I thought, surely this was her big break. She was ready to go…but at the last minute, she decided to stay in Paris, saying she would miss her friends and family too much. But I realize she really stayed because of her sense of duty. She had to give up her dream of fashion, because of Ladybug."

"She was really dedicated to Paris. Hopefully, she can still pursue that dream."

"She'll find a way. We'll find a way to help her do so. I know she'd want to get in on her merit too, she wouldn't want anyone giving her special treatment because of her being Ladybug or what's happened to her."

"You mentioned that someone sent you an article about her being a drug addict. There have been other rumors like that going around, that she's a delinquent and gets weekly detentions. Is there any sort of merit to those?"

"I want to say no. She's a good kid, and she gets excellent grades. But because of her absences, she has gotten a handful of detentions. I don't think that's her fault at all, of course. Her duties as Ladybug do come first. But she's never done drugs, never committed any crimes, never even fought with us. She's a really good kid, and I'm so proud of her."

"You would say you had a good relationship, then?"

"Absolutely," confirmed Tom. "We make time to spend together as a family, whether it's preparing a meal, or playing video games. She shared everything with us…which is why I think hiding Ladybug was so hard for her."

"Well, it's all out in the open now, so you can work on healing when she comes home."

"Yeah," said Sabine, softly. "We just want her home."

"One last question: what was your reaction to the reveal?"

Tom spoke, "I was angry at first. For the smallest, fleeting second, it was directed at Marinette, for lying, but then I realized that was completely unfair to her, and…I've just been angry with Salo ever since."

"For me," began Sabine. "I was just horrified. My baby was putting herself in danger almost everyday, for the people of Paris. She doesn't need that responsibility. She's just a kid. She does an amazing job, but she doesn't deserve this."

Nadja nodded in agreement. "Thank you for speaking with me today."

"Thank you for having us Nadja," Sabine stated as she stood. Together, her and Tom went backstage, as Nadja spoke to the camera. "Next, we have Adrien Agreste's father, fashion mongol Gabriel Agreste, joining me. Despite his fame and influence, Gabriel has been relatively silent on the reveal of Chat Noir's identity. He has graciously agreed to speak with me tonight."

Gabriel came out, looking as stoic as ever in a black suit with a green tie. He shook Nadja's hand briefly, and sat, one leg crossed over the other.

"Thank you for joining me this evening."

"Thank you for having me, Nadja. I am grateful that you decided to interview us instead of pulling information from social media."

"If there's one thing I pride myself on, it's getting the truth. Now, you saw all the questions I had for you ahead of time, so you know what I'm going to ask. Did you have any idea that Adrien was Chat Noir?"

"Yes, I had suspected it." He said easily. "As my son, he only wears the clothes I design, but he always wore a silver ring, and I never knew where it came from. There were times where he would be places he wasn't supposed to be. Little things really, things that most people wouldn't notice. In the case where his bodyguard was akumatized, Chat Noir and someone who looked a lot like Adrien were in the same place at the same time, so I chalked up all these circumstances as coincidence. So, when it came out, I was…shocked, but it really didn't last long. I really don't believe there's anyone more capable of wielding a Miraculous than Adrien. The shock just came that he had been kidnapped by some…random thug."

"I think anyone would find that shocking. Adrien is pretty well known here in Paris. He's been known as a teenage heartthrob both as himself and as Chat. He's done plenty of interviews as both too. But, his persona is pretty vastly different between one side compared to the other. Which one would you say is the 'real' Adrien?"

Gabriel tapped his fingers on his leg. "I'm not sure if I'm the best judge of that. Loss does something to a person…the last few years, after I lost my wife, I…" he sighed, having a hard time admitting this out loud. "I wasn't always there. I threw myself into my work. When…when Adrien was little, he was a wild child. He would run and dart and scream and just be completely out of control. As he got older, he calmed down, especially in public. When you are in the limelight as much as we are, you learn to hold yourself to a certain code of conduct, in order to reflect positively on the brand. Watching Chat Noir is like watching that same little boy running around. Adrien is good, kind, helpful, and hardworking. He's positive and cares a lot about his friends and family. This is true no matter what he's wearing. That's the real Adrien."

"I'm interested to know what Adrien does in his free time."

"Adrien…doesn't have a lot of free time. He's very involved in his studies and extracurricular activities. He does fencing, piano, and Chinese. And that's on top of school and modeling. But he does enjoy reading and playing video games."

"My, he certainly is busy! Do you think he'll continue to model?"

Gabriel winced. "Probably not. If he really wants to, I'll allow him to. I wanted him to get involved with the brand somehow, so that he'd get work experience. He didn't enjoy designing at all, but he took to modeling fairly quickly. It was something I wanted him to do. But once he's free, he's only doing what he wants. He's more than earned it."

"I'm curious to know, how do you feel about the wedding that happened?"

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng has always impressed me. By her talent and skill, and her strong character. I don't think there's a more fitting Ladybug, and I'm happy that they could have each other for support in this…terrible time."

"Will you try to contest it?"

"No. If they want to be married, then they'll be married. Who am I to stand in their way?"

"A common question that people are asking is: why didn't you pay the ransom at the beginning?"

Gabriel sighed, looking down, then he collected himself and spoke calmly, almost emotionlessly. "That was the hardest decision I had to make. But for the good of Paris, I refused. Adrien was right, if I gave them millions, what else would they have done? Before he spoke, I was ready to pay any amount of money to get him back…but I wanted to respect his wishes."

"I don't think anyone could have made that decision. If anyone faults you for it, they clearly don't understand where you were coming from."

"I expect others to be angry about my choice, but it's something I feel awful about on my own, and I choose not to listen to them."

"One last question, M. Agreste. Are you personally doing something to look for and rescue them?"

He nodded. "I am. I can't say what, obviously, but I can see that the authorities are having trouble on their own. So I am using my own resources."

"Thank you for your honesty and being willing to speak with me this evening."

"It was my pleasure."

They went back to Nadja in the studio. "That interview was conducted a few days ago. The families have yet to speak out about Savauge's release, or the protests outside the station. I'm Nadja Chamack, TVi news."


	23. Rocking

Thanks so much for your patience! I had a crazy week, so I couldn't update. On Monday, I got a commission with a deadline for Friday. The client wanted me to do a painting and a live chalk piece representing their business. I agreed without much thought. The business? A colorectal cancer center. In their own words, "you poo into a bag, and then we check to see if you have butt cancer." The only rules they gave me was 'it can't be funny and it has to have a bar stool in it.'

So that was my week. I got 500 bucks out of it though, so not too bad! You can check out my paint on my instagram if you're interested.

I'm very musically minded. I was voted 'Most Likely to Break Out Into Song' in Highschool. So it's no surprise when I have a songfic chapter. I had a similar chapter in my previous ML fic 'Nine Lives' where Jagged performs. I've always thought Jagged Stone's music would sound a lot like Radiohead, despite his name being a pun on the Rolling Stones.

Song list and link to playlist at the end of the chapter.

—

**_Four weeks earlier_**

Luka was four hours late coming home from work. As a delivery driver, work was often impeded by akuma attacks. As it was, Paris had yet to be given the all clear from the newest akuma, a wreck ball man who was causing absolute chaos through the town. As it grew later and later, Luka's boss decidedly sent him home, with the warning to be careful.

So Luka biked home. In a city as big as Paris, as accustomed it was to Akumas, people were still out and about, rushing to get where they needed to go. There was no slowing down.

It helped keep life to some sort of normality.

When Luka arrived back home, he parked his bike and headed inside.

"Home, ma!" He called.

"Aye laddie! About time! I'll warm up yer dinner."

Luka sat on the couch, catching his breath from his rushed trip home. "Where's Jules?"

"Oh!" called Anarka, with a gasp. "Her and Rose went off with their classmates! Seems Marinette's gone missing!"

Luka was back on his feet and hurrying into his shoes. "Where did they go? I'll catch up with them!"

"You'll do no such thing! You're going to eat your dinner, and then you'll wait here. I was worried sick having you both out there with that akuma still on the loose!"

"The akuma hasn't been seen in several hours," he pleaded. "Come on ma, you know how much I like Marinette!"

"Butt! Chair! Now!"

Luka did as his mother instructed, but not without crossing his arms in protest.

As he waited, he flicked on the TV. The cooking channel was on. He didn't much care about cooking, but he didn't feel like watching anything else.

_Any news about Marinette? _He texted his sister.

Then it was back to waiting, his foot tapping too quickly, and his eyes darting between the TV and his phone.

Five minutes passed before Juleka texted back, '_No, Adrien is missing too._'

He was already feeling sick to his stomach, but a knot coiled in his gut. He couldn't help but feel like their disappearance wasn't just a coincidence.

_Think positive._ He told himself. _Maybe Adrien finally opened his eyes, and they're together, and just lost track of time._

Luka knew what was going on at school. Juleka had told him, confessing that Lila's story didn't sit right with her. It sure as hell sounded like utter garbage to him. Marinette had been forced to confess her crush in front of her class, in front of Adrien.

That had to have been painful, and Luka bemoaned the fact he wasn't in her grade. He would have protected her from this! He would have done something!

"Here ya go, boy-o. Hot soup!" Anarka handed him a tray with a bowl and a baguette.

"Thanks ma."

Still not hungry, Luka stirred the soup with his spoon, unable to do anything else.

He felt useless. Utterly useless.

Suddenly, the TV turned to static, the show cutting out.

"Damn antenna…" he muttered as he lifted the tray off his lap.

The picture came back, but there was a woman with reflective sunglasses instead.

"_Good evening Paris. Please excuse me for interrupting whatever pointless drivel you were consumed with. My name is Salo. I'm not an akuma, but you'll soon wish I was. I have succeeded where all the others have failed._" She stepped back to show Ladybug and Chat Noir, bound and gagged.

That had been nearly a month ago, and the truth that Ladybug and Chat noir were Marinette and Adrien still hadn't sunk all the way in.

Yes, Luka acknowledged it. Yes, he believed they were both more than capable.

But he didn't _want_ it to be true.

Because that meant he didn't stand a chance.

And that was a very selfish thought.

Ladybug, Marinette, had entrusted him with a Miraculous of his own (on loan of course) a couple of times. That had to mean something, right?

If she trusted him enough for that, then that was enough. She did care about him.

But now it was time to move on from _liking_ her, to supporting her. Things would get rough once they got out. And he was absolutely confident that they would! Ladybug and Chat Noir! Heroes!

Still, as he sat back stage, there a flash of anger that course through his veins.

How did he not notice earlier? Surely, Chat Noir was pretty different from Adrien, but he should have at least had a hunch about Ladybug. He was usually pretty good about reading people.

And yet, the girl he cared about the most…he hadn't even suspected it.

He shook his head in frustration.

"Nervous?" A voice cut into his thoughts.

Looking up, Luka made eye-contact with Jagged Stone, who was wearing an outfit Gabriel designed to match their costumes. Another fact that he hadn't quite gotten over yet. He was playing a concert with Jagged Stone tonight!

In front of millions of people.

"No…well, yeah, of course, but…I was just thinking about Marinette."

"Ah, a young heart in love. A lot of pain, a lot of joy…a pain in the arse."

Luka chuckled at that.

"Look kid, you're not gonna be alone out there…for the most part. That solo was your idea."

"I won't even be alone for that," Luka smirked. "I'll have Adrien with me."

Jagged gave a hard pat to his shoulder. "I know it's a somber occasion, but try to have some fun, huh? I know they'd really want it."

"Yeah, I'll do my best."

The city had set up a stage under the Eiffel Tower, one that had no curtains, so the crowd could surround it on all sides. Technically, the band was under the stage, until it was time to begin.

Luka was all ready to go, having tuned his guitars, one electric, one acoustic. He glanced around the space watching people scurry about. Jagged's band, Kitty Section, Clara Nightingale, Alya and Nino, and a handful of staff. There were some other people he didn't know.

When he was approached about the concert, he had enthusiastically agreed, though he was warned what could happen if the people who took Marinette found out he was close to them.

They hadn't taken anyone else yet, but it was just a matter of time.

Still, Luka wasn't afraid, and he wanted to do this for them.

"Luka?" A girl asked.

He blinked out of his reverie again. "Uh…Kagami, right?"

"Yeah, it's been a while."

"Yeah."

She sat next to him, without another word.

Without much thought, he started to pick at his strings, a soft little melody hanging in the air.

"That's nice," said Kagami.

"Thanks…it's not much."

"You're playing tonight, right?"

"Yeah."

"Nervous?"

"Who wouldn't be?" He shrugged. He really hoped he wasn't coming off as short. He just didn't feel much like talking. That was something Marinette was good about, just willing share her presence and allow herself to get lost in the music with him.

But now she was lost in silence. And even after all was said and done, she'd probably be listening for a piano.

He hit a bad chord, and winced. Then he sighed, and stopped.

"You are fond of her, aren't you? You went on that double date with us, after all."

He began to play again. "Yeah, you could say I was fond of her."

"Did you love her?"

He paused. And then continued to strum. "You know, for all the love songs I've ever played and ever wrote…I don't think I've ever been in love before. I think I liked her, a lot. But…"

"Knowing who she is, and seeing it in comparison…it's not love, right?" She finished for him.

"Yeah…you—you got it right on the head. What about you? Did you love Adrien?"

She shook her head. "Same as you. Thought I did…but…Adrien was my first real friend. I think I assumed the admiration I felt for him was love, when it was just…well, love. But not in the way that I thought. I'm sorry, I'm not great at explaining my feelings. I didn't mean to heap this on you. You're about to perform and I'm bothering you—" She stood.

"Hey, no, Kagami…you're not bothering me at all." And she wasn't. Not anymore. "You put what I've been feeling into words, and I'm really thankful for that."

"Really?" She asked, sitting back down.

"For sure! I've felt…kind of selfish lately. Like…really really selfish. I should be worried sick for both of them, and I am! Believe me! But…I'm also hurting. Knowing the feelings I had for her are nothing in comparison for how Adrien feels for her…"

"Hey." She said sternly. "You felt for her. That's enough. You're allowed to be upset. Everyone in this whole darn city is upset. No one will judge your reasoning."

His lip twitched in a smile. "Darn?"

"I'm not allowed to swear."

"Well, I won't tell."

She glanced around and then finally uttered a soft, "…damn."

Luka snickered. "That's the spirit."

"Thanks for talking with me, Luka."

"Of course, any time." And when she stood, he gently grasped her wrist. "I mean it. Any time. We broken hearts have to stick together, right?"

She smirked at him. "Just don't expect me to fall for you right away."

His eyes widened. "Right away?"

"Uh—" She blushed. "Or at all." She cleared her throat. "Well, break a leg."

Luka felt himself missing her once she had left, even though she'd only been here for a moment.

Maybe he was just lonely. Despite his still conflicted heart.

"Five minutes!" The stage manager shouted.

And just like that, all of Luka's frustrations and sadness disappeared to be replaced with total and complete nervousness.

He exhaled slowly, and put on his mask—the one Marinette had made—and got into position.

He was a few steps behind Jagged, surrounded by other band members, waiting on a hydraulic lift. Any minute now, it would raise up and he'd see the thousands and thousands of people that had come out.

He could already hear them. The crowd was talking, voices muddled together in waves and waves of humming garbage.

His heart pounded in his chest as he swallowed thickly.

Jagged looked over to Clara and nodded. Then they both looked to Luka, who nodded too.

He wanted to do this. For Adrien. For Marinette.

The floor started to move.

Oh god

Oh god

Oh god

Jagged strummed his guitar, beginning the first song. A favorite of Adrien's, he was told. The whole set list was made up of their favorite songs from the three bands.

Including one that Luka wrote.

Jagged started to sing.

_I do not_

_Understand_

_What it is_

_I've done wrong_

_Full of holes_

_Check for pulse_

_Blink your eyes_

_One for yes_

_Two for no_

_I have no idea what I am talking about_

_I'm trapped in this body and can't get out_

_Oh, oh_

Now that the music started, it was a lot easier to breathe. If he just focused on his guitar and on Jagged and Clara, he'd be fine, totally fine.

_Make a sound_

_Move back home_

_Pale imitation_

_With the edges_

_Sawn off_

_I have no idea what you are talking about_

_I'm trapped in this body and can't get out_

_Oh, oh_

Feeling braver, Luka looked up and out into the audience. He almost stopped playing completely. It was an ocean of people, jumping up and down, cheering and singing along. They flooded the entirety of Champ de Mars, so far back he couldn't see the end of the crowd. Speakers dotted the edge of the park, assuring that everyone could hear the music.

The concert of the century.

_Has the light gone out for you?_

_'Cause the light's gone for me_

_It is the 21st century_

_It is the 21st century_

_You can fight it like a dog_

_And they brought me to my knees_

_They got scared and they put me in_

_They got scared and they put me in_

_All the lies run around my face_

_All the lies run around my face_

_And for anyone else to see_

_And for anyone else to see_

_I'm alive_

_I've seen it coming_

The roar of the crowd was incredible. Thousands and thousands of people gathering together, to support his friends. It made Luka nearly weak in the knees.

"Thank you!" Jagged called, the crowd quieting down more. "Thank you all for coming out tonight. It is my esteemed honor to play tribute to the heroes of Paris…Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste…that's Ladybug and Chat Noir, if you didn't already know."

More cheering, a sonic boom of devotion and praise.

It was touching to hear Jagged refer to them by their real names first, and not their titles.

"The first time I encountered Marinette was not too many months after she debuted as a superhero. She was helping out at Le Grand Hotel where I was staying, and she was assigned as my gopher. I tasked her with finding a pair of glasses with Eiffel Towers on them, nice and big and totally rock and roll. The first pair she brought back weren't what I wanted, and I told her as much. She went away and returned an hour later with these glasses," he gestured to his face. "She couldn't find the ones I wanted, so she decided to make them herself. I was so thrilled with them! They're still my favorite accessory! Of course, that same day, Ladybug and Chat Noir both saved my butt from an akuma. Since then, Marinette has designed two of my album covers, and Ladybug and Chat Noir have saved me from akumas, and from akumatization. The moment I saw what happened…I was devastated. Marinette's become like a little sister to me. I appreciate all the things that she and Adrien do for Paris. And tonight I want to give back. I want to let the world know that we're not giving up! We are looking! And eventually, we will find them!"

Again, the roar of the crowd was incredible. The sound made the strings of his guitar vibrate against his fingers. It almost hurt!

"This is a song—This song is called Lucky, and I wrote it for Ladybug the first time she saved me."

The bass guitar started in, a rolling chord setting the tone.

_I'm on a roll_

_I'm on a roll this time_

_I feel my luck could change_

_Kill me, cera_

_Kill me again with love_

_It's gonna be a glorious day_

_Pull me out of the aircrash_

_Pull me out of the lake_

_'Cause I'm your superhero_

_We are standing on the edge_

The sun hadn't quite set yet, but the light in the park was rapidly dimming. As the crowd sang along with Jagged and Clara, little lights flickered on in the throng of people. Lighters, cell phones, and candles were raised and swayed in time with the beat.

_The head of state has called for me by name_

_But I don't have time for him_

_It's gonna be a glorious day_

_I feel my luck could change_

_Pull me out of the aircrash_

_Pull me out of the lake_

_'Cause I'm your superhero_

_We are standing on the edge_

_We are standing on the edge_

When the song ended, Luka had to take a steadying breath as he was overwhelmed with emotion. It was just too much.

Above them was a giant screen. Several others were on the edges of the park, with the speakers, assuring that everyone could see the band and the footage that was shown.

What followed was Clara Nightingale's music video she had created for Ladybug and Chat Noir back when they started out. It was an edited version, instead of shots of Clara, it was B-Roll footage that was taken while Adrien and Marinette were auditioning for Ladybug and Chat Noir. It was almost startling to see them in the costumes without the masks.

Because it was so painfully obvious at that point, and yet no one had noticed.

Luka had gotten to be in the final product, wearing a Ladybug mask and dancing with Marinette and Adrien. That was an incredible experience, one he treasured.

He watched as there were pictures of Adrien and Marinette posing together in costume, looking to all the world like the happiest couple.

The ache in his heart started to subside the longer he watched.

Clara spoke as the video ended. "Such wonderful heroes, together they make,

Marinette and Adrien are truly the best.

To raise awareness for both of their sake,

And so with this concert, I just couldn't rest!

I met them first one warm November,

Adrien was naturally the perfect cat.

Nervous at first, but his eyes full of ember,

he picked up the role in no time flat!

Ladybug was hard to cast,

My blue eyed, black haired beauty missing,

And Marinette auditioned next to last.

I was becoming dismayed spending the whole day dismissing.

Marinette wasn't even auditioning for the role,

But Adrien batted his eyes big and green,

And tickled something deep inside her soul.

She was whisked off to makeup and we started the scene!

But alas, what a shame!

Both of their masks had completely disappeared!

It was hard to know who was to blame,

But in the end the video wasn't even cleared!

How sad I was, and angry too,

For my tribute to be shattered.

My heroes then came to push through,

And finished the battle only slightly battered!

I'm thankful for them every single day,

And hope they come home soon.

But their trials have inspired me in a new way,

So I'll say it all with a brand new tune."

She had a ukulele, plucked out a little melody, and started to sing.

_When I am with you_

_I feel naked_

_I can't hide my scars_

_Piece by piece_

_You put me together_

_Till I am no longer_

_Broken_

In between shots of Clara singing, there were photos of Marinette and Adrien together, with friends, in costume, anywhere together. One such was them asleep together on the train to London, looking absolutely adorable.

_When I am with you_

_I can be myself_

_I don't have to wear a mask anymore_

_You see who I am_

_Deep down inside_

_I grow by the light of your gaze_

_You fill me with wonder_

_Fill me with hope_

_You have opened up my mind_

_I see eternity in every little thing_

_When you're by my side_

Luka took more calming breaths and tried to think about the concert, rather than his suffering friends. He had two songs coming up, and it wouldn't do them justice if he burst out into tears in the middle of them.

He glanced over at his band mates for Kitty Section. Rose was standing by Juleka, and she looked like she was shaking like a leaf. Quietly, he went over and rested a hand on her shoulder. "You okay?"

"Yeah…just nervous, and I miss Marinette and Adrien. They were both really good at comforting."

Luka sighed softly, noting that Rose had said 'were' and not 'are'. Past tense.

"There's nothing to be nervous about. Everyone here is here to support them. If you get emotional, they'll understand."

Rose nodded.

"Besides, this is a battle song. We're waging a war! We're fighting back."

Rose nodded harder. "Yeah!" She said a bit too loudly, though the mics didn't pick her up.

_When I am with you_

_I don't fear silence_

_The voices in my head_

_Leave me peace_

_Piece by piece_

_You put me together_

_And now_

_I am no longer_

_Broken._

The song ended and the applause was much more subdued from Jagged's songs. It was obvious that people had been moved, and not hyped. Still there were whistles and tearful cheers.

A video began to play on the screen, one that Alya had shot a while ago. It showed Marinette outside of school, a bright blush on her face as she clenched the bottom of her shirt.

Alya's voice spoke from behind the camera, in a nature documenter's voice. "_Here we see the nervousous pigtailious, commonly known as a Marinette, as she prepares to attract a mat_e."

Marinette's head swiveled over to look at her. "_Are you seriously recording me right now?_"

"_A Marinette cannot detect our camera's if we stay still. Perhaps we can capture the Marinette's mating ritual for the first time._"

"_You are mean and unhelpful._" Marinette said flatly.

"_The Marinette is not typically a hostile creature, but will, on occasion, protect itself with a verbal lashing._"

"_Well, I'm officially not nervous anymore, but I am annoyed. At you. If this blows up in my face, purge the evidence. If I succeed…play this at my wedding._"

Alya giggled as she said, "_The Marinette has targeted her perspective mate_," she turned the camera to lock onto Adrien and Nino, who were a few feet away, chatting by the stairs of the school. "_Her target is the sunshinious handsomous, a gentle and docile creature, most commonly known as an Adrien. Here, we see him interacting with a dorkus maximus_."

"_I'm telling Nino you said that_."

"_The Marinette gathers her courage to approach_."

Marinette glared back, and then inhaled deeply, her shoulders heaving. Then she stormed over to Adrien and Nino, who both beamed at her approach. From this distance, it wasn't possible to hear what Marinette was saying.

"_And thus begins the dance,_" said Alya. "_The Marinette is a creature of vast ingenuity, and capable of many surprises, but when it comes to finding a mate, she has had no such luck this season._"

The shot showed Marinette flailing her arms, as she backpedalled over her words. She was now shouting. "_Not falling for you! Falling here! I fell!_"

"_And now the Marinette begins her mating call. A different one to be sure, unlike any other in nature. The Adrien has responded to it, but not with a mating call of his own…_"

Adrien had taken his bag off his shoulder, digging through it before he took out a little white bottle, and a bottle of water. He tapped the white bottle on her hand, and then gave her the water.

"_It seems the Adrien has misunderstood the call, and has determined the Marinette is in distress. A common miscommunication between the Marinette and the Adrien._"

Adrien patted her shoulder warmly, waved to Nino and walked over to his car.

"_Once the situation is rectified, the Adrien takes his leave_."

Marinette stomped back over to Alya, her face red and shoulders hunched, as Nino followed behind, laughing uproariously.

"_I tried to do the old, 'did it hurt when you fell from heaven?' schtick, but instead I said, 'it hurt when I fell for you. No, when I fell down the stairs, not falling for you. Falling here. I fell. I think I hit my head, and I'm loosing my mind.' Then he gave me some ibuprofen from his bag and I love him so much!_"

After Alya stopped laughing so hard, she finished the recording by saying, "_Nature is beautiful_."

Luka watched the video fondly, having seen it earlier in rehearsal. But now it was his turn. Jagged Stone and Clara Nightingale both nodded him on.

Oh god

Oh god

Oh god

Rose cleared her throat and spoke into the mic, with her incredibly sweet voice, "It's been said a dozen times already, but thank you all for coming out tonight. We're Kitty Section. Adrien played the piano for us on occasion, and Marinette designed our costumes. Tonight we'll be performing a song called 'Take Me to War'. It wasn't originally written with Adrien or Marinette in mind, but I think it certainly fits. And they both really liked it too."

Luka had originally written the song as a response to all the negative feedback they were receiving online. Metal heads didn't take kindly to metal about glitter and unicorns.

But after watching the stream, Luka had tweaked the lyrics ever so slightly, and found it was a perfect fit.

He started out with a funky beat, before Rose came in on vocals.

_I've earned myself a reputation_

_That my bark is much worse than my bite_

_But I keep snapping at Goliath's hands_

_With all of my tiny might_

_There are no stones at my disposal_

_There's no God to award me a crown_

_But I am always swinging at_

_Somebody I can't knock down_

_All of the fire I've swallowed_

_All of the sparks that went dark in my gut_

_I am always burning up_

Luka tried to focus on the music, as his heart thundered in his ears. The sun had set now, and all he could see was an ocean of glittering stars, swaying in time with the music.

_Dress me in red and throw your roses_

_And I'll rankle the beasts with words_

_It's a graceless dance of epithets_

_We learn to make someone hurt_

_They will consume your sweet resistance_

_And they'll carry your heart in their teeth_

_But I am always feeding them_

_The ugliest parts of me_

_All of the words I've swallowed_

_All of the sharp things I've kept in my mouth_

_I am always bleeding out_

Up on the screen, between shots of the band members, there were photos and short videos of Ladybug and Chat Noir, fighting their battles. Whether it was akumas or the media, Paris was getting another reminder of the hard work and dedication the heroes always put forward.

_Take me to war_

_Honey, I dare you_

_I'll be the sweetest thing_

_To ever scare you_

_Give me a fight I can't resist_

_Give me something to break with my fists_

_Take me to war_

_Oh, honey, I dare you_

Distantly, Luka thought about the parents. Alya had told them that Tom, Sabine, and Gabriel wouldn't be at the concert, for their own safety, but he at least hoped they were watching. He had seen Nadja Chamack somewhere under the stage, right? They were broadcasting this, right?

Oh god he was on TV!

_I watched a weed usurp the garden_

_And it poisoned the rest of the crops_

_It would take days of fighting stubborn roots_

_To tear the whole damn thing out_

_So I will leave it where it's standing_

_And instead I will find me a match_

_I'll turn it all to kindling_

_I'll burn it all down to ash_

_All of the ire I've swallowed_

_All of the coals that still sit in my gut_

_I am always burning up_

As they came back to the chorus, Luka pushed all other thoughts out of his head, and played his heart out. This was for Marinette!

_Take me to war_

_Honey, I dare you_

_I'll be the sweetest thing_

_To ever scare you_

_Give me a fight I can't resist_

_Give me something to break with my fists_

_Take me to war_

_Oh, honey, I dare you_

The applause this time was breathtaking. Maybe it was a little selfish, but he reveled in the praise, savoring it. He worked hard, practiced day after day, and wrote the words in his heart. This concert was for Adrien and Marinette, but the applause was for him, for his sister, for all of Kitty Section. It felt nice.

Another video began to play. One of a young Ladybug, right at the beginning of their run during Stoneheart. She stood on the beams of the Eiffel Tower, proclaiming to all of Paris:

"_Nice try, Hawkmoth, but we know who the bad guy is. Let's not reverse the roles here. Without you, none of these innocent victims would be transformed into villains. Hawkmoth, no matter how long it takes, we will find you, and _you_ will hand us _your _Miraculous_!" Using amazing acrobatics, Ladybug proceeded to capture every akuma that had appeared, destroying the hideous mask that Hawkmoth had conjured. "_Let me make this promise to you. No matter who wants to harm you, Ladybug and Cat Noir will do everything in our power to keep you safe_!" She opened her yo-yo, a cloud of Butterflies bursting forth and disappearing into the sky, the video transitioning to black.

While the video played, Luka had switched out his electric guitar with an acoustic, and took a seat on a stool. The lights on the rest of the stage went out, bringing the focus to Luka.

The crowd settled down, to a small murmur.

Luka swallowed, and spoke. "I…I'm not much of gamer." He began. "Of course, I like a round or two of UMS, but, I'm not the dedicated fan that Adrien apparently is." He licked his lips as his mouth felt incredibly dry with ten thousand eyes staring at him. "I was watching the stream really late one night, just checking up on them, since I couldn't sleep, and I saw this moment…well, you'll see."

Up on the screen, there was a clip of Adrien from the stream, in his dark cage. The film was green, being shot with night vision. He had his head rested against the wall, and looked up towards the ceiling. The word 'chatte' was perfectly visible on the side of his head.

Luka picked out the notes, before Adrien began to sing.

_Alduin's wings, they did darken the sky._

_His roar fury's fire and his scales sharpened scythes._

_Men ran and they cowered and they fought and they died._

_They burned and they bled as they issued their cries._

Immediately, people recognized the song, as Luka could hear little gasps. But no one sang along right away, just listening to Adrien. When the chorus broke, a murmur of voices rolled over the stage, in a cloud of harmony, as kindred spirits sang together.

_Dovahkiin Dovahkiin naal ok zin los vahriin_

_Wah dein vokul mahfaeraak ahst vaal_

_Ahrk fin norok paal graan fod nust hon zindro zaan_

_Dovahkiin fah hin kogaan mu draal_

As Adrien sang, he became a little more triumphant in tune, as his notes filled the silence he was suffocating with.

The crowd fell silent again, listening to Adrien's tale.

_We need saviors to free us from Alduin's rage._

_Heroes on the field of this new war to wage._

_And if Alduin wins, man is gone from this world._

_Lost in the shadow of the black wings unfurled._

Adrien closed his eyes, rocking back and forth, letting the music transport him out and away. To a land of dragons and warriors. It was the best thing for him, pretending to be somewhere where he wasn't.

_But then came the Tongues on that terrible day._

_Steadfast as winter, they entered the fray._

_And all heard the music of Alduin's doom._

_The sweet song of Skyrim, sky-shattering Thu'um._

_And so the Tongues freed us from Alduin's rage._

_Gave the gift of the Voice, ushered in a new Age._

_If Alduin is eternal, then eternity's done._

_For his story is over and the dragons... are gone._

When the song was over, and the video cut out, the cheers were deafening. People were _crying_ and _sobbing_. Adrien was the least prepared to sing in front of an audience. His voice was raw and breaking, some of his notes a little sour. The mic he had wasn't great, and his throat was dry. He was singing for himself only.

But it was _him_. He was here with them all. It was his _voice_.

And that was enough to make everyone that felt completely useless to feel just a little bit better.

"One last song," said Jagged, with his own acoustic. "A favorite of Adrien's…and a bit ironic, if I'm being honest."

_Wake from your sleep_

_The drying of your tears_

_Today we escape_

_We escape_

_Pack and get dressed_

_Before your father hears us_

_Before all hell breaks loose_

_Breathe_

_Keep breathing_

_Don't loose your nerve_

_Breathe_

_Keep breathing_

_I can't do this alone_

_Sing us a song_

_A song to keep us warm_

_There's such a chill_

_Such a chill_

_You can laugh_

_A spineless laugh_

_We hope your rules and wisdom choke you_

_Now_

_We are one_

_In everlasting peace_

_We hope that you choke_

_That you choke_

_We hope that you choke_

_That you choke_

_We hope_

_That you choke_

_That you choke_

—

Radiohead songs in order:

'Bodysnatchers'

'Lucky'

'Exit Music'

Then I used 'Piece by Piece' by Eivør for Clara's song.

Kitty Section's song was 'Take Me To War' by the Crane Wives.

Then the song that Adrien sang was 'Song of the Tongues' from Skyrim.

I made a playlist of all the songs that are (or will be) in this fic, and those that inspired it at on youtube at:  
/playlist?list=PLCFvfHQFx6TL68Nt9zq5HEMh3eeMAfMTf


	24. Shocking

Just as a pleasant reminder: this story will have a happy ending, one that is better than 'they both died and were free from their suffering'. I wouldn't do that to you guys.

This chapter, we go back to Marinette and Adrien. There is gross misuse of a needle and thread (Trigger warning), and some shocking revelations (pun intended).

—

A small room. Concrete walls, ceiling and floor. A single metal door, with a cold metal table and chair. Illuminated with single flickering lightbulb, casting a sickly yellow light around the surfaces. This kind of room most people would avoid. It offered no comfort, no safety. It held secrets, and no mercy.

To Marinette, it felt like home.

Silence had been a constant companion this last month. Where as Marinette had gotten used to Tikki's constant presence before, now she was startled by noise. Any noise. She could hear from this dank, secluded room, the sound of water running. Most likely someone else getting a shower.

And the light. There was only an old bulb to illuminate the room, but it was still much too bright for her eyes. So she rested her head in her arms on the table top. The icy water from her power washing still clung to her body, the hospital gown hanging on her turning damp. There was no warmth from the table or chair. Only cold, hard, unforgiving silence.

All there was to do was wait. All there ever was now.

Wait for death.

Something heinous happened in the dark. Every minute of every day, she stewed in fear, in anger, in injustice. The cold bony hand of wrath squeezed her heart, crushing compassion, mercy, and care from her very soul.

No one was coming.

Then she could let them all go. If they were watching, then they could all suffer with guilt.

Sure, she was Ladybug, but she was also a kid. Didn't that mean anything to anyone? Or were they all expecting her to save herself?

But they had abandoned her. With whatever had happened back at school. The facts were blurry at this point, but she remembered everyone shunning her.

So why would her being Ladybug change anything?

But Adrien…

Her heart softened. He didn't deserve whatever fate had befallen him. He had fought so hard, so valiantly, there was no blame on him.

He was the only person she could forgive.

But he was gone. And now she alone.

Alone in the silence.

So now the question remained: Dare she save herself?

What kind of life awaited her outside, anyway? What kinds of things were they saying about her?

_Ladybug, the failure. The little girl that fooled the whole city. The disgusting pig._

There'd be hell to pay. She'd show Salo what revenge really looked like.

They thought Ladybug was red? She'd give them red.

Marinette sat up slightly, her bangs shielding the light from her eyes. She looked down at her hands.

Bony, dry, callus, and bruised. The hands of a corpse. That's what she felt like at least. This was some sort of limbo she lived in. Half aware, plotting and calculating her revenge…the other half…twisted. The hallucinations in the cell were so vivid, so real. It was hard to tell the difference between them and what was real.

_I've gone insane_. She insisted in her mind. Normal people didn't think like this. Normal people didn't daydream about strangling people with their intestines.

This room was too big. She wanted back in the closet.

The door opened again, Salo and one of her henchmen escorting another prisoner onto the bleak room. They had them by the arm, and all but shoved them into the room before slamming the door shut behind them.

Then suddenly, Marinette wasn't alone in the silence anymore.

A young man, tall, pale. He was just a skeleton with skin stretched over him. He was incredibly bruised, and his legs were stained with filth. His blonde hair was drenched and also looked stringy and dull.

Did she look like that too? She wondered.

The young man toddled into the room, using the wall for balance.

Then he looked up, and met her eyes.

An impossible green. A green that haunted her for days. The green that accompanied the last echoes of his voice.

_My Lady! My Lady!_

It was Adrien.

And she hadn't recognized him.

Marinette bolted from her chair and staggered over to him.

"Kitty?" She whispered, ever so gently.

Tears gathered in his eyes as he reached his one working arm out to caress her face. "My lady?" His whisper was even softer, his voice was gone, and he only spoke with the air in his lungs.

"What have they done to you?" One hand held his cheek, as the other rested on his chest. She could feel his ribs, and the dent in his sternum she had caused with her crowbar.

He didn't answer, his lips pulling into a thin line.

Adrien leaned down, pressing a soft kiss on her lips. Then he rested his forehead against hers. There was a purr deep down in his chest, a remnant of being the Black Cat for so long. He still only spoke with a breath. "For better or for worse, in sickness and in health. I may have been forced to say that, but I take my vows seriously."

"Kitty…" She cried, resting her hand on the back of his neck. "I love you so much. I thought…I thought they had killed you by now."

"They gave it a good shot." He nuzzled against her. "But as long as I know you're still with me, I'll keep fighting."

Her fingers curled into his skin, her voice dripping with ferocity. "I will never leave you."

The door opened again, much too soon for both of them, and they clung tighter together.

"Together again for five minutes and you just can't keep your hands off of each other. Young love…what a joke." Salo's voice pierced through their bubble.

Adrien didn't look up, didn't give her any attention. His lady was back in his arms, and that's all that mattered.

"So selfish." She scoffed. "You two aren't even interested in the guest I've brought?"

Marinette shook her head. She didn't want to see anyone from outside. They all abandoned her, abandoned _them_, why should she care?

But Salo had never given them a choice, and so they were dragged back into that big room where evil persisted.

The lights were blinding, and they both had to hide their faces in their arms.

Then they were being chained up, and there was nothing to do but clench their eyes shut and wait until they adjusted.

"What're the stats, Harken?" Salo asked a corner of the room.

"Over 2 million online. We have some from Japan and Australia tuned in this time too."

"My my, this is becoming a very big deal."

Marinette, squinting heavily, peered up and looked around. The room was still pretty bare, save for a wooden chair that sat between her and Adrien.

"You two missed out on so much while you were sleeping. You remember my Eddy, right?"

Neither of them answered, but it was a given. The arrest of Edward Savauge is what had gotten them here in the first place.

"Well, looks like he's been released on lack of evidence. No witnesses. Sure is interesting, don't you think?"

Marinette rolled her eyes. It really wasn't the surprising. It just sucked that their effort of bagging him had gone to waste. "So?" Marinette asked. "There's no reason to keep us anymore."

"On the contrary, Miss Bug. Now there's no possible way I can let you leave. Not even if you pinky promise that you won't say a word."

"I figured as much." She drawled.

"Now, don't you want to know what's being said about you out there?"

"Not particularly."

"Come on, aren't you just the tiniest bit curious?"

"If you're trying to egg me on, I'm assuming it can't be good."

Salo laughed. "Boy, you are so full of spite! I love it!" She called over her shoulder. "Pasolini, I think you can bring our guest in."

Marinette looked over to Adrien, who's eyes were downcast. Seemed he was just as unenthused about their guest as she was.

A young woman was ushered in. She had a bag over her head.

But Marinette recognized the orange sweater immediately.

The girl was shoved into the chair before Salo ripped the bag off of her head.

Adrien and Marinette shared looks of disgust.

Salo grinned. "Glad you could join us, Miss Rossi. I'm Salo, and I'd like to ask you a few questions."

Lila, for all the acting that she had performed, was downright terrified. "Please, let me go! I didn't do anything! Please!"

Salo looked to her prisoners, finding them stone faced. "Why Marinette, aren't you happy to see your best friend? And Adrien, I know you must feel guilty for cheating on her with Marinette, but you must be happy to see your girlfriend, right?"

Adrien scowled at them both, not saying anything with his mouth, but volumes with his eyes.

"Hmm, there seems to be some misunderstandings here. Let's see if we can find that interview."

The tv behind Salo lit up, Lila's face on it with a news ticker underneath. She was teary-eyed and delicately dabbed her cheek with a napkin. _"It sickens me. Adrien isn't actually Chat Noir, and Marinette Dupain-Cheng isn't Ladybug. You see, Adrien and I…well, I see no point in keeping it a secret anymore, we were dating. Under the radar, of course, he's not allowed to date. And then he told me that he came up with this idea of a performance piece and asked if I wanted to play the role of Ladybug. I said no, absolutely not, and so he broke up with me. I think the whole wedding bit was really just a ploy to make me jealous and have me crawl back to him. But now I know that he's just sick and wants attention. Marinette has been that way since I met her. She's always tried to get attention and lied to do so. I think we should all stop giving it to them and turn off the stream."_

Lila turned pale and shrank in her seat at the absolute rage on Marinette's face, as she turned her gaze to stare at Lila.

Salo shrugged. "Well Marinette, looks like we've been found out. Now everyone knows about our _performance piece_. And Adrien…your relationship isn't so secret anymore, I'm afraid."

Adrien trembled in his anger, before an inhuman sound ripped from his throat. The sound of a caged animal breaking.

Salo just laughed at him. "Mm, interesting. I wonder…who's lying?" Sang Salo. "Ladybug always wants justice, right?" She leaned on Lila's shoulder, a spool of thread with a needle in her hand. "Then will you snitch? Knowing that snitches get stitches?"

Lila sobbed. "Marinette, I'm sorry! You know me—Always good for a j-joke!"

"Ah ah ah, I wasn't talking to you Miss Rossi."

Marinette saw the needle and thread for what it was. Another torture device. Maybe the old Marinette would have taken the easy way out. 'Taken the high road' so to speak, and let things unfold by themselves. She would give Lila this lie, setting her free, and saving herself from unnecessary pain.

But this Marinette was ready to hit where it hurt, no matter the sacrifice. And Salo was giving her the platform to do so.

"A joke." Marinette repeated. "I'm a joke to you."

"No! That's not—! What I mean is—"

"My suffering has always been a joke to you." Marinette interrupted. "When you got me expelled for something I didn't do. When you tricked everyone into thinking I was some sort of creep. When you endangered me as Ladybug by taking Chat Noir out of the fight with a lie."

"But—no! I was—I was just trying to make friends and get Adrien to like me! None of that stuff was on purpose!"

Marinette scoffed, and turned her head away. Even here, after all this, Lila was still lying. Arguing with her was not worth it.

Salo was the one to poke the bear. "So you hate her, Marinette? Having her here angers you?"

Marinette considered this. Then answered coldly. "No. She is annoying. Irritating. If you had asked me when I first came here how I felt, I would have said yes, I hated her. But now, after all I've felt, all I've learned…what I feel for her is not nearly what I feel for you, Salo."

"Oh!" Salo rested a hand on her chest. "Aww, Marinette, I feel the same for you! Would you…be my enemy?"

Marinette glared at her. "I hope you choke."

Salo laughed. "She's so sassy! I love this new Ladybug! What about you, kitty cat? How do you feel about all of this?"

They looked to Adrien, who was staring at the floor. He looked like he wasn't paying attention.

Salo snapped in front of his face. "Hey, I asked you a question, Pussy Cat."

He looked up at Salo, then at Lila, and then back down to the floor.

Salo whistled lowly, "man, isolation was not good for you."

Adrien didn't respond to that, and kept his gaze on the floor.

To the outside, he looked resigned and obedient, but in his head, dark thoughts of revenge circled. Violent, unnatural, evil thoughts.

"Well," said Salo, patting Lila's head. "If having her here isn't that big of a deal, I might as well get rid of her." Her hand went to her hip.

Lila started crying. "Marinette! Please help me! Tell her to let me go! Please! I beg you!"

Marinette let out a dark laugh. "You think I can do anything? You think if I had any power, I wouldn't have saved myself by now?"

Salo withdrew the gun, pointing it between Lila's eyes.

"Please Marinette!"

Salo smiled. "My goodness! Ladybug, savior of Paris, would allow a civilian to get hurt?"

"Lila isn't a civilian." Marinette corrected, her voice deep. "She's a parasite. A liar and a manipulator. She hurts everyone around her, and only causes trouble. Her disappearance would only be a good thing."

The barrel rested between Lila's eyebrows. "So I can dispose of her? You don't mind?"

Marinette shrugged, her face blank. "Blow her brains out."

Lila sobbed. "I lied!" She screamed. "I lied about everything! This is real! There's no performance going on! I never dated Adrien and Marinette never lied! Marinette never took any pictures of Adrien! She never stole anything! She didn't cheat on her test! She didn't push me down the stairs! I never met any celebrities! And I hate Ladybug!"

Salo looked at her with surprise. "What? Is this a confessional?"

"I told the truth! Isn't that what you wanted from me?"

Salo barked a laugh. "You think this is about you?! You're such a stupid bitch! I can't believe you actually thought you had anything to do with this!"

"…then…why was I here?" She asked, trembling.

"You were the one broadcasting yourself all over the news! You know, I thought you did have some connection to them, but you actually lied and put yourself in trouble! You're such an idiot. Why did you think this was a good idea? You're so desperate for attention that you painted a giant target on your back." She laughed again, being amused by the whole thing. "You have the gall to believe that you're important in any capacity? My revenge is against Ladybug and Chat Noir! If you have nothing to do with them, then you're useless to me!"

"Marinette!" Lila screamed. "Help me! Please!"

Marinette glared at her. "Even if I could, I wouldn't."

Lila cried out, bawling her eyes out, pleading with everyone.

Then the barrel of the gun pulled away. And Salo started laughing. "Wow, harsh. And I thought I went through petty high school drama." She clicked the gun back into the holster. "But I can't let Marinette have to satisfaction of you being killed. Warren?" She nodded to a man in the back of the room. "Take her out to some park and leave her. They'll find her."

"Yes ma'am," said the brute.

"But before you go…I want Miss Rossi to witness this." She held up the spool and needle, holding it in the light. "Pasolini, if you would be so kind?"

Marinette didn't show any outside signs of panic or fear, but tightened her hands into fists.

Pasolini came from behind, resting one hand on her shoulder, and the other other throat, tilting her chin up.

"You're not going to fight?" Asked Salo. "No screaming? No kicking?"

"Why? Is it not as fun for you if I behave?" Marinette bit back.

Salo grinned, snapping a rubber glove onto her hand. "You got me there. Still going to sew your mouth shut though."

Marinette looked to all the world calm and collected, as Salo used a sharpie to mark the inside and outside of her lips, creating the guide.

She took hold of her bottom lip and pulled it forward.

Marinette's eyebrows drew together as the needle pierced her skin, going in the bottom and out the top. There was no numbing, no relief, only stinging sharp pain. Even when the needle was through, the cotton thread ripped through the puncture. Then Salo moved to the top lip, puncturing through the bottom to the top, and then back down again.

Under and over, a basic stitch pattern. Marinette didn't make a peep, but the tears still rolled down her cheeks. Blood oozed from the piercings, smearing around and turning Marinette's mouth red.

Finally, Salo made one last stitch, eight in total, and made sure it was pulled tight. Then she tied it off and snipped the access. "I'm not much of a seamstress, but I think I did pretty good!"

She brought a mirror over so Marinette could see her new look. The way she had done it forced her lips into a pout, and right around the edges there were little black lines were the thread was visible. Testing the strength, Marinette found she could very slightly open her mouth, enough to maybe drink some water, before it hurt.

"Ah, much better! Now I don't have to listen to your god awful annoying voice anymore!" Salo cheered.

Marinette tore her gaze away from her reflection, to glare at Salo. There was a threat in her eyes, but it would continue to be unvoiced.

"What do you think, Adrien?" asked Salo, turning to him. "You've been awfully quiet this evening."

Adrien whipped his head up, his face full of rage, eyes burning, and _hissed_ at her.

Salo grimaced. "Yikes. Nothing worse than a poorly behaved kitty. Well, we'll just have to train that out of you." She waved at a man in the shadows, gesturing him forward. "Warren, you can escort Miss Rossi out now. I don't particularly care for keeping her around."

The room went into motion. Lila was bagged again and dragged out of the room, while other devices were brought forward.

For Adrien, it was a large metal rack, with straps for the arms and legs, and a link for the collar around his neck. It almost looked like a cross. He was strapped in, both arms, and his feet were splayed apart.

Then they attached pads with wires to his palms, the pads of his feet, the underside of his arms by his armpits, and the area right below his bellybutton.

Marinette watched all of this with a careful eye, not able to ask questions, but extremely wary. She could have sworn she had seen those pads in a movie or something.

Next, the men moved two metal hoops on stands on either side of her. They weren't too big. Large enough to comfortably fit her arms through. At it seemed exactly what they wanted her to do.

Then finally, Salo brought over two buckets and a pitcher of water. "Well, don't you look just absolutely curious?"

Marinette flicked her eyes over all the components in the room, an answer to her question starting to form.

"Now this is a fairly simple device of my own design. You'll be putting your hands through these hoops, and holding up these buckets of water. As time goes on, I'll add a little water at a time. All you have to do is hold them still. If you touch the hoop…well…" Instead of finishing the sentence, Salo rested a wooden dowel on the edge of the ring, just touching it ever so briefly.

A spark flew off of it, and Adrien's whole body seized up for a second. He let out a grunt of pain.

"The longer you touch the ring, the longer the shock. But you can handle this, right? Ladybug is so strong!"

But Marinette wasn't about to tell her that it was only because of the earrings that she had such heightened strength. It's not like she could, anyways.

Two goons took hold of her arms and fed them through the hoops. They placed the handles of the buckets in her hands, and then taped her fist closed, so she couldn't drop them. With the buckets in place, it was impossible to pull her hands back through the hoops.

Even with a few inches of clearance on all sides, she still could feel the static around her wrists. It didn't help that she was still pretty wet and she was holding metal buckets.

"One last thing," Salo snickered, placing a bag over Marinette's head. "Can't have you knowing where the ring is, right?"

Despite the tape, Marinette clenched the bucket tighter. If that spark was any indication, she'd be shocked too, and a shock could contract her muscles and freeze her in place.

Then water started to pour into the buckets. Just about a cup on each side. But Marinette had lost a lot of muscle in isolation.

"15 minutes, and then you can go back in your little cage." Salo giggled, the chair Lila had sat in scrapping across the floor. "Oh, and by the way, if you touch the ring for too long, you could kill Adrien. Those bolts will cross the body, passing by his heart. I know his heart stops when you walk into the room, but let's not get too literal, huh?"

Maybe it would be a mercy to kill him. Surely it would be painful the whole time, but…no. No, she couldn't do that. It was just her twisted brain obsessed with death.

Five minutes in, and she was already struggling. Her shoulders, biceps, and even her neck hurt. She hadn't hit the hoop yet, but it was only a matter of time. Salo added a little more water.

At seven minutes, her arms lowered the tiniest amount too much and she touched the bottom of the ring, sending out a bolt of pain up her arm for a millisecond.

Somewhere in front of her, Adrien barked in pain.

Shortly after, the pain had mostly disappeared, only leaving a slight tingle behind instead.

Another minute passed, and Marinette sank again, the touch lasting a little longer this time. She yelped in pain, pulling at her stitches.

"Uh oh, are we giving up already?"

Marinette was sweating, her muscles trembling. Her elbows felt like they were hyper extended and her wrists ached. The metal handle dug into the crease of her fingers.

Another round of tears cleaned streaks on her dirty face.

Another touch, longer this time. And when she over corrected, she touched the top too, her whole arm convulsing and violently jerking.

Adrien wasn't fairing much better. He closed his eyes, unable to watch, and waited for the inevitable pain to come.

The first was short, and it also didn't even hurt. It just caused all of his muscles to contract. The wires in the paddles left a tingling sensation behind.

The next one was worse. There was really no way to describe the sensation except for painful. Excruciatingly painful. A flash of white behind his eyes, every muscle in his body contracting, tightening, and feeling like he was tearing apart. The bolts burned his skin, heat zipping across his flesh and into his bones.

Each touch, even the most gentle, brought agonizing pain to every inch of his body.

He knew he was screaming, but it was unbidden. Happening without his consent.

Once the shock had ended, and the pain had just about subsided, another shock would be inflicted.

Marinette felt like her arms were going to rip off. There couldn't be more than a liter in either bucket, but they were just so _heavy_.

She trembled as she tried to hang on. But finally, at the 14 minute mark, her arms gave out, and she collapsed, bringing the rings down with her to the floor.

Sparks flew everywhere, not just burning her arms, but the rest of her as well.

Adrien's screams sounded like a garbage disposal in the sink. His voice had been destroyed in isolation, and all that was left was gurgling and yowling.

Then it all stopped.

Marinette laid on the floor, her arms itching from burns. She was exhausted, and couldn't find the strength to do anything but breathe.

"Is that it?" Someone asked.

"Johnson, Check for a pulse."

Marinette felt someone holding her wrist. "She's still got one." Then she waited on bated breath. "He's got one too."

Salo pulled the hood off of her head as men ripped the tape off her fingers. "Wow! What a shocking development!"

Marinette opened her mouth to protest, finding the thread looser, but not undone. She also tasted a lot of blood.

Salo plucked one end of the thread and pulled it tight again. "Hmm, that might just leave a scar."

Marinette pushed up on one arm so she could look at Adrien.

He hung lifelessly by the wrists. His skin was blackened in some areas, in bolt shaped lines. His hair had fluffed up from the static.

Salo snapped in front of his face, but there was no response. "Ugh, guess we're done. Can hurt someone who's unconscious, right?"

They were lead back to the first set of cells they had been kept in. She wobbled, but walked on her own, while Adrien was dragged by his working arm.

The tiny cell was almost comforting. Being in the cold, quiet dark. Tucked into a small corner of the world.

She couldn't speak, but she moaned, making noise to get Adrien's attention.

He didn't answer.

Not that she really expected him to.

With a sigh, she slid down to sit, resting her feet against the door.

It groaned in response.

That's right, these cells were just old ductwork that had been repurposed. The metal wasn't very thick, like sheets of steel, but it was sharp.

An idea started to roll around in her head. Risky, but plausible. If they were desperate enough.

She was certainly angry enough. But the truth of the matter was that she wasn't doing anything without Adrien.

So she waited.

Her body demanded rest, but she knew she couldn't indulge. Not yet. Her arms throbbed from holding up the buckets, and her legs ached from standing after sitting for so long.

But enough wallowing in pain. Now was time for action.

She reached under the door towards Adrien's cell, her arm fitting a lot easier than when they were first inducted. Perhaps her wasting would be beneficial.

She stood back up, and ran her hands all over the inside of the cell, finding a small camera. She twisted it so it faced away from the door. Then she knelt and got to work.

Very slowly and quietly, she pushed on the bottom of the door, easing it away from her. No sudden movements, or the metal would rattle loudly.

Only a few minutes passed before Adrien groaned from his cell, and shifted, the metal groaning. "My Lady?" He whispered.

She grunted back.

He reached his arm under his door towards her.

For assurance, she patted his hand, but went back to work.

Soon enough, the metal had bent far enough that she could fit her shoulders through. She had to be careful, or else she'd cut herself.

As her feet cleared the threshold, her heart began to pick up in anxiety. _She was out_. But they weren't free yet, so she knelt in front of Adrien's door, and began pulling.

Adrien caught on quickly, and moved the camera just like she had.

This was it. Marinette was banking on the idea that Salo and her men had gotten cocky, and had lowered security for the night.

If not, they were in for a world of pain.

Finally, Adrien was able to crawl out of the little space they had created. He met her eyes in the dim light and smiled at her.

Phase one complete.


	25. Running

A common trend in the comment section last chapter was: "I don't care about Lila! Save my babies!"

It made me smile.

(This story has some illustrations on Ao3)

Um…I cried writing this chapter…so really sorry in advance.

Trigger warning for…claustrophobia? Darkness? Oh, and blood. And bones. Just all over nasty stuff. I'll make sure to let you guys know when we're in the clear.

—

Unchained. Free from their cages. It was almost too much. They hadn't even gotten out yet and Adrien was already overwhelmed. He expressed this with a small whine in the back of his throat.

Marinette took Adrien's hand, her thumb rubbing over his knuckles. She wanted to tell him so many things. How much she loved him, how no matter what happened, they could handle it.

_You and me against the world, right?_

Adrien squeezed her hand back, seemingly understanding what she was trying to say.

They quietly made their way into the hall. It was long, and lit every ten feet with a little light by the floor, like a movie theatre. It was lined with several doors, all with vault locks on them. All but the room they had been in. She hoped they were just lucky in that respect, and that it wasn't some sort of trick.

So far, everything was quiet, as no one had noticed their escape. But they were both incredibly weak, and so they went slow.

The path to the torture chamber was well worn by now. Despite the halls being unmarked and dark, they still found their way there. The only problem was finding their way _out_.

They came to the door to the room, it only was open a crack.

It was time for phase two: retrieve the Miraculous.

Marinette peered inside. On the table on the far side of the room was the safe with the Miraculous. At least, she hoped they were still in there.

She nudged the door a little more, trying to see in the rest of the room. She could see the table with the computer, and the man named Harken sitting behind it. He had his arms crossed while he lulled his head in sleep.

The rest of the room looked empty.

Marinette turned to Adrien, making a 'V' shape over her eyes and gestured down the hall.

He nodded curtly, keeping watch.

Slowly, and ever so carefully, Marinette pushed the door open a fraction more, and slid inside.

There were a few cameras pointing around the room, and she made sure to stay out of their sight...though that meant coming closer to Harken.

The man wasn't snoring, and he had big reflective glasses on like Salo, so it was hard to tell if he was sleeping or not.

But he didn't move, so she made an assumption, and kept going.

Finally she reached the table, grabbing the safe and testing the lock.

It was locked alright, and Marinette had no guess for the combination.

Still, she scooped it up, and went back the way she came. Thankfully, the lockbox was like a briefcase and had a handle on it.

Her pulse throbbed in her ears, a silent clock in her mind, saying that all could go up in smoke at any second.

But so far so good.

Adrien was a step behind her, and he was slowly falling farther and farther behind.

She looked at him in question.

He was breathing harshly, but shook his head, gesturing her onward.

She only squeezed his hand tighter, and pulled him along.

Then they came to a fork, and Marinette hesitated. The lights on the floor stopped here, and there was no way to guess which way to go.

So she picked the right.

And ended up face to face with Pasolini.

"Hey!" He shouted, his voice much too loud in the infinite hallway.

After years of fighting, some things were still instinctual. With all the strength left in her trembling arms, she wound up, and careened the lock box into Pasolini's face, knocking him on his ass.

Then she turned face and tried to run down the other hall.

But Pasolini, disorientated as he was, still had half a mind to reach out, and grab whatever was nearest to him. Which happened to be Adrien's leg. His hand wrapped all the way around Adrien's ankle, with no hope of kicking it off.

Marinette pulled on him, trying to tug him with her, grunting. All the while, lights were coming down the hall from behind Pasolini, and she could hear Salo's voice.

"You have to let me go, My Lady." He croaked.

Her eyes widened, and she moaned in protest.

"You have the Miraculous! Go! Run!"

_I will never leave you. _She had promised him that only a few hours ago.

But he was right.

As his fingers slipped from hers, a tear fell from her eyes. She backed away, unable to tear her eyes from him, until the shadows swallowed her.

Then she was alone. And the weight of her actions fell solidly on her gut.

She would never see Adrien again.

She stumbled, wandering blind. Guilt crashing into her with each step. Maybe if she went back, maybe if she offered the Miraculous back, they'd spare him.

But he'd never forgive her for giving up her chance at freedom.

She glanced back, the flashlights from her tormentors were just dots in the distance.

The hall was long, old, and covered with sharp rocks. Each step was painful, physically and emotionally. Eventually, she came to an intersection, and she took a turn without thinking, then another, then another, just trying to put distance between herself and her tormentors.

She hugged the lockbox to her chest. _I wish Tikki and Plagg were here_.

Well, they kind of were. She just couldn't get to them. So she took a second to kneel and hold the box out. It was pitch black, but she felt along the box to find the opening. Then she felt along the floor for a sharp edge to hit it against.

She reeled up, and slammed the box down, hearing the Miraculous dingle from inside the box. But there was no give, so she slammed it again. And again. And again.

Her arms were so sore, and she knew she wasn't making any progress, but she was desperate to open it.

There were footsteps. Someone had heard her and they were coming this way!

She wobbled to her feet, took up the safe again, and ran.

Left, right, right, left. She just continued to duck and weave to throw off her pursuer.

Then her legs gave out.

Exhausted, scared, and guilt ridden, Marinette sat on the cold dusty floor, and tried to catch her breath. She didn't feel like she was making any progress. Where even was she? This building just kept going on and on like a Labyrinth. It was cold, and wet, and so so quiet, just like a grave.

Marinette took a sharp inhale. She…she couldn't be…

Once she caught her breath, she pushed back up on her feet and began her trek again. She had to find some kind of hint to where she was.

Since she was so weak, she had to use the wall for support, feeling the cold limestone on her palms. And then for a moment, it was smooth and flat, with little grooves carved into it.

_Are these words?_ She wondered. She felt all along the flat square and tried to make out the letters.

_Sous les murs de la pépinière_

_Under the walls of the nursery_. What nursery?

But that was French! She had seen German earlier, so why now French? Except, this was carved in the wall, while the German had been painted. Could this be older?

So there was a chance they were still in France. Where though, she had only a hunch. And she hoped she was wrong.

Marinette could hear the echo of voices, disorientated as they bounced around the cavern. But she'd rather move than stand still.

This was the stuff of nightmares. Being trapped in the dark, with no idea where you are, or who or what was with you. Every step was unknown, unsure. The only sounds were her rapid breath, her heart pounding in her ears, or rocks skittering around the ground.

And then, the inevitable threat of her captors, or something even more sinister, held in the dark. Even the path was a mystery. Would the ground give out beneath her? Would she run into something, like a wall, or something sharp?

She took a turn too quickly and stepped on something round. She rolled forward and landed in a pile of sticks. She groaned in the pain from the fall, her knee and arm taking the brunt of it.

As she went to stand, Marinette realized she had flung the lockbox forward in her trip, and she began to feel around for it.

A lot of smooth sticks is what she found, all clattering around with each movement.

Then her hand rested on a stone. The perfect tool to help her get into the box!

But as she lifted it, she found it much lighter than a rock. It was smooth, and had little grooves on the top, but as she felt down, she felt a hole, two holes, a sort of heart shaped hole, and then some jagged pieces towards the bottom—

Marinette threw it away from her, realization dawning on her in horror.

That was a skull. And these weren't sticks, they were bones. An entire pile of bones.

It wasn't just a hunch anymore. She was in the catacombs! A maze of death, that went on for miles and miles under Paris!

She scrambled to her feet, and quickly found the lockbox among the bones. Then she backtracked away, going the opposite direction from them.

Being a native Parisian, she had heard the stories. People obsessed with the catacombs, venturing down through forbidden entrances, only to get lost and never heard from again.

It was a horror story that every child knew. Don't wander where you're not supposed to, or you'll join the 8 million remains under the city.

And right now, she very well could. She was so hungry, so tired, in so much pain…

She was lost. Utterly and completely lost. No light to see, no mouth to cry for help, barely any legs to stand on…

And no partner with her.

She just started crying. Like a toddler lost in the mall, helpless to figure out any solution, she just crouched and cried.

She had been staggering around for hours now, and all there was was darkness. Surely Adrien had met his demise by now. Even if she went back, there would be no saving him.

Not that she could find her way back anyway. She was lost in the depths of hell.

Part of her wondered why she was even bothering with escaping now. What was left? A lifetime of suffering from trauma and loneliness.

She had lost Adrien _and_ Chat Noir. The two people who continued to stand by her side through everything. Her partner, her best friend, the love of her life.

Resigned, her head lulled back and hit the wall behind her.

_God, if you're there, please…please help me. I don't want it to end like this._

She opened her eyes, and in the infinite blackness that surrounded her, there was a dot of light.

Daylight.

The first glimpse of it she had seen in what seemed like forever.

A hole in the surface, with fifty feet of concrete between them, with no way to get to it.

But it was a glimmer of hope in utter desolation.

It filled her with just enough hope for her to stand again, and start wandering.

She tried to push out all of the hopelessness in her brain that kept telling her to lay down and die. Yes, she had lost it all. Yes, she was alone…but once she got out, she was putting on both Miraculous. Then Salo would pay.

Wait, couldn't the Miraculous give her a wish? She could have Adrien back!

She hurried her steps.

Within an hour or so, she reached an end. A wall with a series of bars on it.

A ladder!

She slid the handle of the lockbox over her wrist, and then slowly began to climb.

She climbed and she climbed. The ladder just kept going, up and up. It was exhausting, but once she reached the top, she'd be free!

The ladder came to an end on a platform. In front of her, she could see a line of light on the floor, the underside of a door!

Right there! Right in front of her!

She ran to it, her palms resting on the cold metal. A door! Here! And daylight beyond it!

Tears overflowed as she was overwhelmed with joy in the first time in days.

What was she waiting for!?

She felt along the edges of the door, finding an old rusty knob. She turned it, only to have it jam.

Locked.

Of course.

But she was so damn close!

Marinette made a fist and pounded at the surface, her knocks loud and echoing throughout the cavern. Someone would hear her! Surely someone would!

—

On the outside, a two teenage boys, brothers, were walking home from school. The path led through Montparnasse, a path they had known all their lives.

And yet, they had never paid too much attention to the utility door between two old buildings.

Until today, when frantic pounding came from it.

"Did you hear that?" Asked the older boy.

"What?"

"It sounds like someone's knocking."

_BANG BANG BANG_

"Yeah…yeah, I hear it too. It's coming from over here." The younger boy wandered over to the side street. "Hello? Is someone there?"

The banging got louder, like two fists rapidly drumming on the surface.

"It's coming from this door." Said the older boy. "Are you in there?!" He called.

There was a muffled scream in response.

"Are you in trouble?!"

Along with the screaming came a much louder bang, like a rock or something hit the door.

"Alright, don't panic! We'll get you out!"

As Marinette had found, the knob was locked. "It's locked, we'll have to get something to break the knob off."

"Oh my god," said the younger boy. "Charlie, I just had a thought."

"What?"

"What if that's Ladybug?"

The older boy gave him a doubtful look. "I thought they said it's likely that they're in Germany. I bet this is just some utility worker that lost his keys."

The younger brother ignored him and asked. "Are you Ladybug or Chat Noir?"

The answer was an unintelligible squeal.

"One knock for yes, two for no!"

They waited.

BANG

"Oh my god…"

"We have to go to the police!" Said the younger brother.

"No, we need to…look, there's some real shit going down with this stuff. We need to go to Gabriel Agreste himself."

"Why?"

"Because the cops aren't doing anything, and I bet you fifty bucks a man like that has some PIs at work. Or something, I don't know!"

"You're right!"

From the other side came frantic screaming, and the pounding got louder and faster.

And then it stopped.

"Ladybug?! Hey, are you still there?!"

No answer.

"We're going to get help! We'll let you out! Just hang on!"

—

It was one of the unknown men that found her.

Salo hadn't introduced any of her lackeys at any point, but Marinette was well acquainted with them by now. This was a bald guy who usually operated a camera.

"She told us to check all the entrances. Said if you weren't at one, you'd probably be dead. And what do you know, this was the last one to check."

Marinette didn't even fight as he scooped her up. The boys weren't able to open the door, and she wouldn't be able to fend this man off long enough for them to find something to use.

"Now come along, Miss Bug. The Mistress has some words for you." He lifted her and flopped her over his shoulders like a sack of potatoes. Then he descended the ladder.

As the man carried her back to the torture chamber, Marinette was saddened to find that she hadn't gotten very far. In all her twists and turns, she had doubled back on herself, and made little progress.

Still, it took about an hour to walk all the way back. But the man was walking at a steady clip, in comparison to her uneasy staggering.

And he had a headlamp so he could see where he was going.

"You know," he said, his tone a lot more gentle. "If I'm being honest, I was really hoping you'd gotten out. I'd like to let you go...but Salo always knows when you lie. And you never lie to them, you know? Or else you end up down here."

Marinette hummed with curiosity, latching onto that statement.

He seemingly understood and continued. "The place you've been, it's an old World War II Nazi bunker. Salo and Savauge have been using it for years as a...final punishment for people that betray them. Videos are recorded of their demise, and are mailed back to their families." He sighed. "You don't quit a job like this. You get to retire, when your debt is paid and they're confident you'll keep your mouth shut." He jostled her, trying to make her more comfortable as she laid in his arms. It didn't seem to take any effort to hold her. "I'm riskin' a lot telling you all this. If Salo finds out, I'm next in line after you. But I have to confess to someone. The guilt is eating me alive."

Marinette just listened as he spoke, holding onto every word.

"You know, it's amazing how willing people become when they have a family member on the line. My kid sister, just graduated from college, is my bartering chip. I love her to death, but she hasn't spoken to me since I went to prison three years ago. I can't blame her though. She was always a good kid. You'd like her, Ladybug."

It was a long walk, and Marinette found herself dozing slightly as the man spoke.

"You know, when Elise, that's my sister, when Elise was a kid, she watched The Little Mermaid all the time. At least ten times a day. I'd watch it with her, too. That sea witch, Ursula? She made me so angry, because she'd make these deals with people that sounded really easy, but then it would be too hard to come through on the payment. "Get a kiss from your true love in three days, and you can keep your legs permanently. Work for me for one year, and I'll have your record expunged, and then your sister will speak to you again."

He sighed. "I don't know if I'll be able to face Elise after this. I'm taking Ladybug, hero of Paris, to her death..."

He stopped walking, gave her a little squeeze of a hug and continued on. "Salo knows we're she lives, where my mom and my dad live...I can't. I can't help you, Bug. I'm sorry."

Fear was a terrible state to live in.

Then the halls changed from limestone to cement, faintly illuminated by floor lamps, and Marinette knew she was back.

Her gut twisted as dread grabbed hold with its icy grip.

"Well well well..." Salo's putrid voice cut through her despair. "Looks who's back. Ten hours is quite the long time to run. And a very long time to leave your kitten alone."

The man, who had wisely not given his name, set her on her feet.

"You've done well, I'll be deducting this from your balance."

"Thank you ma'am." He nodded.

"Now darling," Salo continued. "I must admit, I'm very impressed. I said I wanted to see you try to take your jewels back, and you did. You really did!"

The man handed back the lock box, as she inspected the outside. "Couldn't get inside though. That's a shame. Oh well, that's why I sprung for the industrial case!"

Was Salo just patronizing her now?

"I should have known eventually you were going to bend that ductwork to get out. I just assumed you weren't going to wait over a month to do so. But I guess that's what I get for assuming." She shrugged. "Anyway, there was a major flaw in your escape plan. You left the dead weight behind, knowing that you'd probably have to come back for him, or else the population would look at you like the monster you are." Salo led her over to the familiar room, where nightmares became reality, and Marinette was frozen at the sight she beheld.

There was blood everywhere. Splattered on the walls and even the ceiling. It pooled on the floor under a body sitting it a chair. Or the frame of a chair, at least. It had no back, and no bottom, but just enough edge to balance on it. He was bound by his arms and legs.

From the base of neck, to the back of his calves, his skin was torn to shreds.

A cat-o-nine tails laid on the floor nearby.

Marinette rushed to him, kneeling on the ground in front of him, and reached up to touch his face.

His eyes were open, dull, looking right through her like she wasn't even there. His mouth was open, the most painful sounding breaths leaving his lungs. He drooled.

"That would be one lash a minute, over the ten hours you were gone...so, 600? Does that sound right?"

"Technically 487, madam," Said one of the men in the room. He was shirtless, sweating, and spattered with blood. "We broke for lunch."

"Oh yes, I'm glad someone was taking count. You know, the science of lashings is very interesting. The more time you give the body between strikes, the more time it has to clot blood, and deal with pain. And if you spread out the lashes over more parts of the body, the less likely a person is to suffer nerve damage or organ failure. We did make sure to spritz him down with rubbing alcohol, so he shouldn't get infected."

Marinette was barely listening to Salo, as she just held Adrien's face, begging him to look at her.

Her time was cut short however, as Pasolini took hold of her arm and started to drag her backwards.

There was another chair waiting.

Her heart pounded as the ties on her gown were undone, and she was forced into her seat. She never looked away from Adrien as the ropes coiled around her upper arms and knees. She balanced on the edge of the frame, and made her hands into fists, waiting for the blows.

"We've wasted enough time on these two today. Let's get this over with."

Marinette's lashes were much faster. One about every fifteen seconds. They started at her back, making her groan out in pain. Each stroke went lower, the ones on her buttocks hurt the least, since she still had padding there.

But the first lash to the back of her thighs made her cry out, tearing at her stitching. It was a sensation she had never felt before, and wished never to feel again.

After about twenty, the pain started to increase, if that was even possible, and slowly, her body started to feel like it was on fire.

Her stitches were loose, letting her cry out freely and loudly. After a while, she couldn't even tell where the blows were landing, just that everything burned and she wanted to die.

Then it was over. Her whole body shaking, covered in sweat, and in absolute anguish. She unfurled her fingers from her fists, but even that took great effort.

"How many was that?" Asked Salo.

"150, on the nose."

"How do you feel, Little Piggy?" Asked Salo, rubbing her head.

Marinette knew the first thing she wanted to say once she was able to. A clue, if anyone was watching anymore. "…I have…a _bone_ to pick…with you…" She managed between trembling breaths.

Salo smiled. "Oh honey…you're not doing anything to me. Even if I just stood here, unarmed, undefended…you wouldn't be able to hurt me. You're too weak." She snapped her fingers.

The ropes holding Marinette to the chair fell, and she almost sunk through the hole in the middle, if Pasolini hadn't grabbed her first.

"On your feet. Both of you."

Standing brought new pain to her whole body, as her skin stretched.

Adrien had yet to move.

"I said stand, dammnit!" Salo shouted in his face.

His leg twitched, as he tried to find his footing. His working arm pushed against the chair, trying to force himself to stand.

Salo, becoming impatient, grabbed his arm and yanked him to his feet.

He staggered, barely catching himself.

"March!"

Marinette walked slowly, keeping her eyes on Adrien as they moved into the hall.

He was not doing good. His breathing sounded like an out of tune cello. His steps came slower and slower…

Until he collapsed completely.

"Ma'am, he's not going to make it." One of the men stated. "He'll probably pass tonight."

"No!" Marinette cried out for him.

"Ah…well, that's how it goes then." Salo unholstered her gun. "Might as well put the wrenched thing out of his misery, huh?"

Marinette grabbed Salo by the coat, and shook. "Don't! Please don't!"

"Bug, come on…you love him don't you? You're really going to let him suffer like this?"

Marinette knelt, grief and guilt swirling in her veins. "Here kitty kitty," she begged. "Please…"

Adrien heard her, as he pushed up on his arm. It wasn't much, but he sort of army crawled over to her, smearing blood as he slid.

Salo sighed and put the gun away. "Fine, you want to watch him die a slow and painful death? Be my guest."

She at least had enough humanity to have someone pick Adrien off the ground and drag both of them to their new cell. The very same closet they had spend their 'honeymoon' in. This time, Marinette sat down first, and Adrien was placed in her lap.

The door slammed and locked.

The longest night of her life began.

Adrien laid his head on her chest, as she snuggled him closer. Blood was oozing all over her, soaking her arms and gown.

"Oh Adrien…" She breathed. "I'm so sorry…I got so close. I was at a door…I heard some boys…" She wiped her tears off of his cheek. "But the door was locked. That's just my luck, huh?"

She pressed a kiss to his head, as he continued his slow breaths. She didn't expect him to respond.

"A boat on the water. Do you remember? That's what you told me. We'd…we'd go sailing. A silhouette on a mirror, with thousands of stars surrounding us." She shuttered with a sob. "But I think…I think you might have to go without me. I'll join you when I can."

In…

Out…

"You…you always take the hits for me, don't you? Well…I'm really sick and tired of watching you die."

In…

Out…

Marinette hugged him fiercely, desperate not to loose him. "You're my best friend…the best partner I ever could have asked for. I love you so much." She sobbed, clutching his head to her chest. "It's been an honor."

_"Ladybug…Chat Noir…" _

Marinette sat up straight at the foreign voice. The closet was cast into a soothing purple light.

_"It's been a long time. We've all missed you. I'm sorry it took me so long to find you. It wasn't as easy as I had hoped. You've taken care of Paris for so long. Now let me take care of you. In exchange, I ask that you go home and get healed. No Miraculous required. What do you say?"_

It was a voice she thought she'd never be happy to hear. She didn't even think, just responded:

"Yes, Hawkmoth."


	26. Escaping

Happy Thanksgiving! (To those of you that celebrate it.)

Today I am thankful for having an amazing group of readers that continue to make me laugh with their comments and hang in there when it gets rough. I've received so many fan pieces that I've actually cried. I keep waiting for that one comment that's like 'you're a sick twisted weirdo' to come, but it never does. So I thank you!

Despite what this fic may say about me, I am a Christian, so there may be some…religious tones coming up. I don't want to impress my own faith on cartoon characters, but…I just thought I make that statement so you can understand my decisions in the future.

We are officially out of the torture section of the fic, but this chapter and the next(?) are still pretty gory. But judging by the comments, that might be a good thing. (There will be some recap of the last chapter though.)

*Cracks knuckles* Time to put my blackbelt to use!

—

It was a rough day at the Agreste mansion.

Nino had risen for school far too early, after not having slept much. He showered and dressed before coming downstairs and picking through the pastries in the kitchen for breakfast. He came into the living room, being the first one there, and sat on the couch to watch the stream for an hour or so before going to classes.

Except what he saw on the screen made him drop his croissant.

Or better, what he didn't see. Adrien and Marinette were gone.

The website showed three live videos. One of each of their cells, and one of the 'torture chamber'. The footage of the cells had a green hue to it, being shot with night vision cameras.

But those feeds were just a dark green blankness, while the torture chamber was empty.

Afraid he might of missed something, Nino rewound the stream, checking to see what happened.

Then he caught it. First Marinette turning her camera in, and then Adrien doing the same.

So what next? He brought back to the live feed, and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Tom came in, yawning. "You're up early."

"Marinette and Adrien turned their cameras away."

Tom frowned slightly, and then shrugged. "Maybe they got tired of people watching them, and they wanted some privacy."

"I don't think—look!"

About twenty minutes after they had moved the cameras, Adrien was being pulled back into big room. The stream to the two cells cut off completely.

"Where's Marinette?" Tom wondered with panic.

"_Isn't life just so unfair?_" Salo said, shoving Adrien into the room. "_You actually made it out! But your precious Lady threw you to the dogs. That's what she's always done, hasn't she? Let you take the hits, let you get hurt or straight up die? As long as she sets things right, who cares? You can take all the hits, all the trauma. You're her meat shield. You don't matter to her at all. You're just a tool. A sidekick. And she left you behind, because you're a dead weight._"

Adrien wasn't protesting.

"Come on dude! You know Marinette cares about you! Don't let her get inside your head!"

"They got out? Marinette's out?" Tom breathed.

Salo snapped in front of his face. "_Bah, he's so out of it, I doubt he can even hear us._"

"_Did someone put something in his food?_" A man spoke from off camera.

"_No, it's a sign that he's dying. Close to death, people get really disorientated and can hallucinate. It's a common sight down here._"

After that, Nino didn't really stand a chance. Dignity be damned. He sat with his head in his hands, and just cried.

Hours passed, and slowly the others in the hours came to check the stream.

Tom updated them on the development, since Nino couldn't even speak.

Gabriel was livid. Watching Adrien be flogged, what little life he had left in him fleeting with each lash, it was unbearable.

But what could they do? There were no leads.

And where was Marinette?

Gabriel had lost his mother to old age. He remembered sitting in the hospice room, just waiting. Each breath sounding like the final pull on a bow of a cello. All he could do was wait for the symphony to end.

Despite the living room having Alya, Nino, Tom, Sabine, and Gabriel all gathered together, it was quiet. Nothing but the ticking of the clock, and the crack of a whip and a scream every minute.

Gabriel couldn't bare watching, but he couldn't leave the room, because he didn't want to miss a second of his son's heart still beating. So he took to pacing.

Any minute could be his last, and it was agony just sitting and waiting.

A little before sunset, the assembled were startled by the rapid ringing of a doorbell.

Gabriel snarled in anger. How dare someone interrupt such an important moment!

They went ignored, for a minute, before the ringing became more and more insistent. The interloper was not leaving.

With a huff, Gabriel stormed into the lobby to yell at them.

Curious, Alya, Nino, and Sabine followed, but kept in line to see the television.

"Who is it, and what do you want?" Gabriel snapped at the intercom.

"_I-I'm so sorry!_" A teenage boy was standing at the gate, and he was panting. "_My name…is Tanner Chevalier, I think we found Ladybug!_"

Gabriel's eyes widened, but he didn't get his hopes up. "What do you mean?! Explain yourself!"

"_Yes sir! My brother and I were walking home from school through Montparnasse, and I heard someone banging on an old utility door. My brother had this hunch that it might be Ladybug or Chat Noir, and so we asked. They couldn't talk, probably because her mouth was sewn shut! But we asked if she could knock once for yes, and she did and we couldn't get the door opened so my brother went home to get our dad and a crowbar but I came here to tell you—_"

"You came and told me first? Not the police?"

The boy curled in on himself. "_Sorry, I just—everyone kind of knows that the police haven't been doing a very good job, so I thought I'd tell you first…_"

"No no, Tanner was it?"

"_Yes?_"

"You did good. Don't go to the police. Anyone with any leads in the case have been killed. I will take care of this."

"_Oh!_" The boy said, producing a piece of paper. "_Here's a map we made with the door on it, and our contact information, if you need to ask us anything._"

Gabriel opened the hatch so he could drop the slip in. "This is…if you're right, I will be indebted to you."

"_My mom almost died during an akuma attack. We'll call it even._" And at that, the boy took off again.

Sabine was right behind Gabriel at this point. "I'll call the police," she stated, her phone already in hand.

"Don't."

She blinked at him. "Don't?! What do you mean don't?! This is the first real lead! You can't think that boy was lying, do you?!"

"No, I'm certain he wasn't."

"Then what are you doing?! My daughter—Marinette's right behind a door in Montparnasse! We have a map!" She just groaned and unlocked her phone.

"I said don't!" He barked. "I'll handle this!"

Tom peered out of the room at the shouting, ready to protect his wife, while Alya and Nino looked on in horror.

Sabine, a normally pretty understanding woman, became frantic. "How the hell do you expect to do anything on your own!? Do you have an army at your disposal?!"

He grabbed her shoulders and gave her a shake. "I am the only chance we have at saving them!"

Sabine stared at him wide-eyed, before Tom rested a heavy hand on his shoulder.

"Gabriel. You'd better explain yourself. Now."

Gabriel let go of Sabine, taking a deep breath. "I…I will explain my actions. All of them. Once Adrien and Marinette are safe and in the hospital, I'll tell everything. But right now, I just need you all to trust me."

The other four watched him, but didn't try anything.

Gabriel lifted the lapel of his jacket. "Nooroo?"

A little purple kwami came out, and Alya and Nino, the only others in the room that knew what a Kwami looked like, froze in shock.

"Would I be able to make two akuma, without Catalyst's aid?"

The little kwami looked hesitatingly around at those gathered.

Gabriel snapped his fingers by him. "Focus Nooroo, we are on a time crunch."

"Yes, sorry Master. You…you can make multiple akuma on your own, but you know they become a lot harder to control. Especially if they have different goals from each other and you. If you plan to akumatize Marinette and Adrien…they'll most likely work together, but they will be extremely volatile…and they could potentially break free from your control."

"That's fine. We just need to give them the strength and means to get out. They'll be akumatized for a hour at most."

Nooroo nodded in understanding. "Then it should work."

"**_You…_**" Sabine spat, with venom. "You're Hawkmoth?!"

Gabriel sighed. "Yes, I know it comes as quite the shock but—"

Sabine didn't let him finish that sentence before ramming her knee into his groin, and then elbowing him in the back of the head. "Does anyone else have a Miraculous in this room!?"

Nino sheepishly raised his hand, before Alya elbowed him, and he lowered it back down.

Gabriel caught his breath. "…I deserved that. I agree. And I owe you all an explanation…but we have to work quickly if we want to save them."

Alya stepped forward, showing her necklace. "Trixx, let's pounce!" In a flash of orange, Rena Rouge stood in Alya's place. "As cool as Gabriel Agreste has been the last few weeks, I still don't trust Hawkmoth."

"Fine," said Gabriel with a huff. "Don't believe me. But don't you dare try to stop me from saving my son." He removed his tie, revealing his brooch to the room.

Tom snagged his wife and stepped back.

"Nooroo, Dark Wings Rise!" A flash of purple light took over the room, stunning the others for a moment. Then, Hawkmoth was standing in the room, in all of his unholy terror.

It was one thing to hear him confirm it, but to see the suit and the mask, that changed everything.

Sabine let out a sob.

That urged Nino to transform into Carapace too.

"Alright," Hawkmoth began. "Rena Rouge, Carapace, I need to get to my butterflies. You are welcome to follow. Tom, Sabine, I recommend you return to the living room. I promise, I mean no harm."

Tom steered his wife towards the living room. "I guess we have no choice. Just know we still expect that explanation, Gabriel."

Hawkmoth nodded once, and headed to his office.

Rena Rouge and Carapace followed silently, as Gabriel activated the hidden elevator. They travelled together to the dark room filled with little white butterflies.

"I want to be angry, but my fan girl is freaking out." Whispered Rena.

"Would one of you pull up the stream, please?" Hawkmoth spoke softly, as the window opened.

Carapace held out his shield, a screen lighting up on the inside.

Adrien cried out in pain as the stream came up.

"He's still with us," Hawkmoth said with a tightness in his voice. "We can't waste anymore time." He coaxed a butterfly to his hand, evilizing it. "Don't go far, my little akuma, I have a friend for you." He made another, and together they headed out the window.

"And now we wait."

Looking back at the stream, it was then that Marinette was escorted into the room. She looked dirtier and even more exhausted, if that was possible. Her feet dark with dirt and bruises.

_"That would be one lash a minute, over the ten hours you were gone...so, 600? Does that sound right?" _Salo spoke.

_"Technically 487, madam,_" Said a voice off screen. _"We broke for lunch."_

"O_h yes, I'm glad someone was taking count. You know, the science of lashings is very interesting. The more time you give the body between strikes, the more time it has to clot blood, and deal with pain. And if you spread out the lashes over more parts of the body, the less likely a person is to suffer nerve damage or organ failure. We did make sure to spritz him down with rubbing alcohol, so he shouldn't get infected_."

"They're in Montparnasse." Hawkmoth announced. "I'm feeling a lot of frustration and anger, but it's hard to pinpoint one source."

"What do you mean?" Rena demanded.

"There's a lot of upset people over here. And a lot in pain from the hospital."

"But there's got to be a stronger feeling somewhere, right?" Asked Nino. "Marinette and Adrien should be angrier and in more pain than everyone else."

"Yes, I agree. I'll keep looking."

The assembled winced as Marinette was tied up too, and her flogging began.

Hawkmoth grit his teeth. "Damn them. That just brought up the anger of everyone in Paris." He grunted in pain. "It's overwhelming!"

"Don't you dare give up!" Rena scolded. "You said you were our last hope! You fail, and I'll—I'll beat you to a pulp!" It was a weak threat, she knew.

"I'm not giving up!" Hawkmoth barked back. "I'm just—stating that it's not as easy as it seems." He groaned. "It's like having thousands of people shouting at once, and trying to pick out one voice. Now, quiet. I have to focus."

His explanation did make sense, she supposed. But Rena was still on edge, and worried that this wouldn't be enough.

They waited, as Hawkmoth stood silently with his eyes closed. He looked increasingly nauseous as time went on.

"_How many was that?_" Asked Salo, from the stream.

"_150, on the nose._"

"_How do you feel, Little Piggy?_"

Marinette's voice was barely audible, but Hawkmoth heard it. "_…I have…a _bone_ to pick…with you…_" She managed between trembling breaths.

"_Oh honey…you're not doing anything to me. Even if I just stood here, unarmed, undefended…you wouldn't be able to hurt me. You're too weak_."

"Why would she say that?" Said Rena, aloud. "It doesn't answer the question, and it's not much of a threat…"

Hawkmoth gasped. "That clever girl!"

"What? What is it? Did you find them?!"

"Not quite, but I will!" Said the man, grinning maniacally. "I wasn't looking deep enough!"

"Deep enough?" Rena parroted.

"The catacombs."

Deep deep underground. Sealed off from the city by forbidden entrances. Almost impossible to get to unless you knew how. Or if you were small, like a butterfly.

The two akuma found their way down through a sewer grate, and then followed the trail of pain.

Hawkmoth doubled over once they were underground.

"Mr. Agreste…?" Rena wondered carefully.

"This…these feelings…" He gasped. "Are so strong…they have to be…"

The akuma slid under the door of a small closet, and melted into the thick metal collars around both of their necks.

His eyes shot open as he was overcome with the most putrid, raw, painful anger he'd ever felt. It made him heave. Then Hawkmoth took a massive breath and stood slowly. "I've got them."

"You found them!?" Rena shouted, grabbing onto his jacket.

"Yes, but we still need to get them out."

"But…they both looked so weak. Can akumatizing them really be enough?"

"I think so." He assured. Then with a deep breath, he gathered himself and activated the connection. "Ladybug…Chat Noir…_" _

On the stream, the butterfly mask was barely noticeable. Marinette sat up a little straighter.

_"_It's been a long time. We've all missed you. I'm sorry it took me so long to find you. It wasn't as easy as I had hoped. You've taken care of Paris for so long. Now let me take care of you. In exchange, I ask that you go home and get healed. No Miraculous required. What do you say?"

Marinette smiled, relieved tears flowing from her eyes.

"_Yes, Hawkmoth._" And a purple smoke engulfed them both.

—

All she could see was purple. Her wounds soothed, her muscles strengthened, her exhaustion waned. It was almost like being Ladybug again. Almost.

"_Lady Lacrima, named for the tears that brought me to you. I am giving you powers you are familiar with. The powers to create. Though you may summon as much as you like, you are bound to those only made of metal._"

"I can make due, Hawkmoth."

"_Grimalkin,_" He addressed Adrien. "_A bastardization of your hero name, I gift you a version of your old powers. With just a touch, you can destroy. It's not as powerful as your old cataclysm, but you can use it as many times as you'd like._"

Grimalkin's reply was a pleased growl.

"_I look forward to seeing you soon._" And with that, he ended the connection.

Lady Lacrima stood, the anger that had been on a rolling boil for the last month, now hot as magma, and lethal to the touch. She offered a hand to her companion. "Are you ready Kitty?"

He purred in response, nuzzling against her hand.

"Then after you."

With just a touch of his finger-length long claws, the door blew open.

Lady Lacrima cracked her neck. "This'll be fun."

Of course, when a door is down off it's hinges, it's bound to make a lot of noise. It was Pasolini that came to check.

The flashlight landed on them, and then soon dropped on the floor. "Don't—Don't come any closer! I'm warning you!"

Lady Lacrima smiled. "Oh, you hear that, kitty? He's warning us."

Pasolini spoke into the mic on his lapel. "We've been compromised! Ladybug and Chat Noir have been—"

Hawkmoth had been kind enough to replace the yo-yo on Ladybug's waist with a whip, and with a snap she caught Pasolini around the neck, silencing him.

"Hush…we'll let them all know we're here soon enough…but first…we want to pay special attention to you." She wrapped the whip around her wrist, bringing the man closer to her. "We pleaded and begged for help, we were humiliated, tortured, starved, and driven to madness, and you didn't care. You laughed at our suffering, and willingly pinned me in place day after day as that bitch scarred me for life. So now the question is…what do we do to you, to make up for it?"

Pasolini had grabbed the end of the whip that was choking him, and pulled on it in an attempt to speak. "Let…me go…"

Lady Lacrima tilted her head to listen.

"Let me…go…and I'll…I'll make it worth…your while…I..I promise!"

Lady Lacrima looked at him flatly. "You promise? What would you do?"

"Money…power…protection…anything you want…I can get it for you."

She smiled at him, pulling the whip tighter. "I want my innocence back."

Pasolini only had a second to think before a knife materialized in her hand, and she stabbed it through his eye. The cord around his neck prevented his cry of pain from escaping.

Grimalkin let out a sound that was a cross between a laugh and a hiss.

Lady Lacrima forced the man down to his knees, and rested her foot on his shoulder. "I suppose we'll make this quick. We have a lot of revenge to inflict." She pressed down her heel, forcing the man to face ground, then she summoned a javelin. With a mighty heave, she sent it through his shoulder and into the floor, pinning him like an insect.

Grimalkin chattered, circling him like a jungle cat.

Another javelin and another pin. Then she released her whip. "I'm sorry, love. You've been so patient. Why don't you finish him off?"

Grimalkin let out a sickening snarl before brandishing his claws.

"What are you doing?!" Pasolini asked, his voice hoarse and full of terror. "Please!"

But Lady Lacrima and Grimalkin were beyond mercy. There was no compassion, no hesitation, no empathy.

Only dark horrible thoughts that could only stew in the minds of tormented souls.

Though he only had use of one hand, Grimalkin tore into the flesh of his tormentor, pulling out muscle and tissue with ease.

Pasolini screamed like a little child, blood splattering over everything.

As the blood landed on Lady Lacrima, her suit sizzled and stained, giving her red spots.

Finally, the man's suffering came to an end when Grimalkin placed a boot on his rib cage, took hold of his spine, and ripped it out of his body.

Lady Lacrima petted him like he was an innocent kitten. "Hawkmoth didn't give you a baton. Guess you'll just have to use that."

Grimalkin bared his fangs in a smile.

Another flashlight shone down the hall, the figures in shadow. But Salo's voice pierced through the darkness.

"This bunker is off limits. You have three seconds to run before we open fire!"

Lady Lacrima and Grimalkin shared a loving look, and then they turned and walked towards the light.

"Three…"

Salo could hear something scraping on the wall, and see sparks flickering.

As the intruders approached the group, Salo could hear some of her men gasping in shock and fear. There were only three of them between her and the intruders.

"T-two…" she continued to count down, pretending that she wasn't afraid of what was only a few feet ahead. They stepped into the light, and Salo swallowed thickly.

Lady Lacrima wore an all black suit, insulated with plates to look like armor. She wore a red domino mask, just as she had as Ladybug, but it was broken up with thick black lines running down her face, resembling her namesake. As if she was a reversed Ladybug, blood red spots splattered over her body. A whip instead of a yo-yo dragged across the floor.

Beside her, Grimalkin stalked like a predator. His suit was similar to what it had been as Chat Noir, with cat ears on his head and a belt fashioned as a tail. But instead of small claws at his finger tips, his fingers were coated in metal, making long, razor sharp blades. His bum arm was strapped to his chest in a way resembling a straight jacket. Instead of friendly feline eyes, he had glowing red eyes like a beast, and fangs that looked absolutely lethal.

"One! Open fire!"

Grimalkin darted behind Lady Lacrima, as a shield materialized in front of her. The bullets hailed down on them, drilling against the shield and ricocheting back at them.

"Careful!" Salo demanded over the gunfire, though she could barely be heard.

Lady Lacrima walked over to one side of the hall, leaning one side of the shield against it.

Then the gunfire started to subside as they ran out of bullets.

"Hold your fire," Salo demanded, withdrawing her handgun. Carefully, she stepped forward, and once she was close enough, she kicked the shield away…only to find a hole in the wall.

Then one of the men behind her screamed.

She spun to face him, finding Grimalkin coiled on him like a snake, his claws in his face and his fangs digging into his neck.

Salo took aim, but a whip took hold of her wrist and pulled. The shot meant for Grimalkin hit one of her men in the leg instead. The follow through with the whip brought Salo around, unbalanced, to face Lady Lacrima who held a knife.

But Salo was a fighter. She didn't get where she was on looks alone. She grabbed the wrist with the knife, watching the blade inch closer and closer to her face.

Fighting dirty, the only way she fought, she kicked Lady Lacrima in the side of knee, bringing her to the ground. Then she took the opportunity to run, leaving her last henchman to cover her escape.

Salo escaped back into the torture chamber, where the other ten men in her group were assembled, preparing the next session.

"Arm yourselves! Ladybug and Chat Noir have been akumatized and they have no mercy!"

That was the only warning they got before Grimalkin swept into the room, feral and dripping with blood.

"Jesus Christ!" Someone shouted, before opening fire.

Grimalkin ducked and weaved through the room, never letting himself be a target. He locked onto the man that had flogged him the day before and smiled with sinister intent.

"Oh hell no!" The man shouted in protest. But Grimalkin was too fast, and jammed his claws up the man's nose and pulled forward.

With Grimalkin standing still for the briefest moment, another man with a full auto rifle sighted up.

A red knife tore through his hand before he could get the shot in. The man next to him yanked the weapon away, and took aim at Grimalkin.

Unfortunately for him, Grimalkin was already finished with the poor sod, and leaped at the next available target. The man pointing a rifle at him.

Six shots fired, none hitting Grimalkin, and all hitting Harken, who was sitting behind the computer. Grimalkin grabbed the barrel of the weapon, and snarled. The gun exploded on the man's shoulder and Grimalkin finished the job.

Lady Lacrima went head to head with a huge man wearing brass knuckles. Each swing of his fists whistled, as she danced around just out of reach. Another man with a lead pipe joined the fight, attacking from behind. But the akuma had greatly enhanced Lady Lacrima's speed and perception. She leaned back to avoid the blow, and summoned a machete on the upswing.

Cutting through flesh and bone was not easy, but she sure made it look like it. Two pairs of arms, one brandishing a pipe and the other brass knuckles, clattered to the floor.

The room filled with blood curdling screams.

Lady Lacrima moved onto the next closest victim. A bald man behind the camera. As she made eye contact with him, he held out his arms, defenseless.

"Just end me," he begged.

She stared at him, remembering the pathetic sob story he had concocted earlier when he dragged her back. As an akuma, she found it hard to believe, but decided not to waste the energy. "Make sure you get all this," she told him, gesturing to the camera, before racing off to do more work.

While all of this chaos was going on, Salo sat under the table in the corner, the safe with the Miraculous in her lap. "Come on…come on…" she muttered to it. "1680, that's the combo! Work damn it!"

But in all of Marinette's frantic slamming just an hour before, the lock was jammed.

She looked up to check the state of her men. One was being eviscerated by Grimalkin, while Lady Lacrima strangled one with her whip and had another in the chest with a katana.

It was an absolute bloodbath, and it happened in only a few minutes.

She slammed the safe down in one final attempt to get to the Miraculous.

But it was too late.

A bloody hand enclosed on her ankle, and dragged her out. Salo looked up to glowing red eyes, wide and frantic and bouncing with untapped rage.

She would not go down without a fight. And thankfully, she still had a gun on her hip. She whipped it out and aimed right at his face.

"Let me go, you beast! Or I'll shoot you right between the eyes."

Grimalkin opened his jaw, his fangs glistening with blood. He let out an inhuman snarl, and lunged.

Salo pulled the trigger.

The gun jammed.

But Grimalkin wasn't about to give her a swift death. He grabbed the hand with the gun and pinned it to the floor above her head. Then he growled, activating his power, and a shooting pain took over her hand as she screamed in pain. He knocked her glasses off as he leapt, and crouched next to Lady Lacrima.

"End of the road." She said, her face blank and emotionless.

Salo pulled her hand, or rather her wrist, to her chest. "How the hell did he find you?"

Lady Lacrima shrugged. "You must have gotten sloppy."

"Or you gave him clues! I should have killed you weeks ago!"

"You should have," Lady Lacrima agreed. "You should have let me die with compassion in my heart. But you didn't. You created a monster. Two of them."

Salo spat at her. "You're a product of Hawkmoth! I only avenged my Eddy!"

"After all this, you're still justifying your heinous actions. You're so lost in your depravity, that you can't even see how low you've sunk."

"So what now?" She sneered. "Now that the roles are reversed, what are you going to do?"

Lady Lacrima reach out and caressed the woman's face, leaving a smear of blood on her cheek. "The roles are far from reversed, Salo." She stated, holding out her arms. A buster sword, one bigger than any human could wield, materialized in her hands. "I'm more powerful than you could ever hope to be. And you…there's no punishment on Earth that befits you."

"Will you kill me then?"

"That depends…do you believe in God?"

Salo scoffed. "What are you, my Nonna? Go ahead, kill me. Let your God punish me."

Lady Lacrima adjusted the sword in her hand. "He'll get his turn."

Salo's lip trembled as she attempted to scoot away.

"It's funny. Without those glasses, you look almost human. And all this time, I thought you were a soulless machine. But if you have a soul…you can burn in hell." And she slammed the blade down, down through flesh and bone and into the cement, separating her legs from her torso.

The woman screamed in agony, clawing at the ground to escape.

Claws ripped into her stomach, pulling her intestines out and spilling them on the floor.

"What do you think Salo? Should we leave you like this?"

Salo didn't answer, only squealed and cried out as she writhed on the floor like a worm. Her vision was blurred, but she could see the lights above her head.

Then there was a silhouette, holding out long claws. Claws that pulsed and churned with dark energy. They came closer and closer to her face.

It burned. Hotter than any fire she'd felt before. She heard her skin sizzling and cracking.

Then there was nothing.

—

Lady Lacrima looked down at her tormentor's remains. A head turning to dust, a torso disemboweled…and legs separated from the rest.

She wished she could have done more.

A purple mask lit up over her face. "_My dear, you are free. Find your way to the surface, and I will have an ambulance waiting for you. Once you are with the paramedics, I will take back the akuma._"

"No."

Lady Lacrima felt his fear. "_No? What do you mean, no?_"

"Paris has gotten lazy with Ladybug and Chat Noir around. And in our absence, things have only gotten worse."

"_You're not well, Marinette. And Adrien was almost…you need help._"

"And we'll get it. But we have business to attend too. Thank you for the akuma, I'll be taking it now. Goodbye." And she cut the connection.

The bald man who had pissed himself behind the camera trembled as Lady Lacrima looked to him.

"I am Lady Lacrima. This is Grimalkin. We seek Justice, and Justice will be what we get."

Grimalkin pounced at the camera, destroying it with his touch.

The man skittered over to Salo's torture table and grabbed a flashlight and the lockbox with the Miraculous. "Here! There's—There's arrows on the walls to lead you to the surface! Just follow the trail, and you should come up in an alleyway in Montparnasse!"

Lady Lacrima took the flashlight. "I thank you. I knew it would be smart to spare you."

The man cried like a child. "I don't—I don't deserve it!"

"You will call the police, and escort them down here."

"Yes ma'am!"

Then she turned to Grimalkin. "Would you be so kind as to open the safe, kitty?"

He just dragged his claw over the lock, and the lid popped open. She took the Miraculous and put them in his suit pocket. "Hold on to these for us, please? I don't think I could bare to let Tikki see me like this."

Grimalkin growled in agreement.

Then with a solemn nod to the remaining henchman, she took Grimalkin's hand, and together, they left.

The hall was just as long and dark, but with the flashlight, she could see the endless tunnels she had wandered earlier. "I tried, kitty. But it's a maze down here. We're in the catacombs, you know? I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, I didn't want Salo to overhear and move us. But I guess Hawkmoth got my hint."

Grimalkin let out a happy chirp.

"Well, we don't have to worry about that anymore. Come on, we're almost there!"

They came to a ladder that led to a manhole cover. With her enhanced strength, popping it off was a cinch.

It was night now, and a thunderstorm had rolled in. Rain poured as they climbed out of the tunnel and out to the street. Paris was a blur in the torrent. Lights flickered and sounds of the city interrupted by the slapping of water.

Both teens stood, letting the rain rush over them like a healing shower.

Marinette looked at her partner, and let out a breath. Exhausted and relieved, she leaned on his chest.

He wrapped an arm around her showers and turned his face to the sky.

Justice would reign, blood would be shed. But for the moment, they just stood.

Just being free.


	27. Grooming

Let's take breath, shall we?

—

Paris was a city trapped in time. The rain blurred the past from the future, the happy and the sad, the night and the day. Erik Satie tried to emulate this effect with his Gymnopedie, and the impressionist painters worked with soft edges to create an atmosphere of calming mystery.

Here, on the sidewalk somewhere in Montparnasse, Adrien and Marinette, or rather, Grimalkin and Lady Lacrima, stood in the haze, freedom and imprisonment blurring lines. They were out, Salo was dead…

But it didn't really _feel _real.

Lady Lacrima stood back and looked to her partner.

His eyes were dilated, a small smile on his lips. He ever so gently reached up and brushed her bangs out of her face.

Returning his smile, she took his hand and interlaced their fingers. Then they started to walk.

It was too wet to take to the rooftops, and in this weather, no one was out. Still, as they walked, they passed big picture windows. Businesses closed for the night, cafés dimmed with candlelight, people in their own little bubbles, completely unaware of the monsters stalking outside.

They walked passed a salon, empty, save for a woman with a blonde bun sweeping. The lights were warm, and the atmosphere looked friendly and inviting. There was a tv on the wall, with Nadja on the screen. She was reporting on them. A screen capture of their final words to the camera shown on a small screen next to her. Lady Lacrima couldn't hear what was being said, but by the grave look on Nadja's face, it wasn't good.

Without much thought, Lady Lacrima pushed on the door, and went inside.

The air smelled of chemicals, of hairspray and dye. But also fruity and clean. Soft music played as the woman worked.

"Just a second!" Called the woman, alerted by a bell at their entrance. She leaned the broom against the wall. "I'm so sorry, we're about to close, but I can take you down for an appointment to—AHHH!" She spoke before turning around, but when she saw them in their appearance, she shrieked.

Neither of the akuma reacted to it, considering the amount of screams they had heard not so long ago.

Another woman with short black hair ran out of the back room at the scream and skittered to a stop at the sight of them. She looked like she was about to scream too, but held it back.

"We wanted out of the rain." Explained Lady Lacrima, blankly.

The blonde woman snatched up the broom like a weapon, trembling in her limbs.

But the other woman relaxed ever so slightly, and took a few steps towards them. "Marinette? Honey, it's me, Jillian. You remember right?"

"…Jillian?"

"That's right. I cut your hair every few months. It's alright." She took another step towards her, but Grimalkin stood in between and hissed.

"Oh! And Adrien! We've…we've never met, but we're all big fans of yours." She pointed to a poster on the wall, an old ad with his face on it.

Grimalkin's eye twitched, but he calmed down slightly.

Jillian looked to her coworker. "Kelly, put that thing down. We have guests."

"Didn't you just see the news?" Kelly whispered harshly. "They just murdered like ten people."

"Fourteen." Lady Lacrima clarified. "We killed fourteen people."

"See!?"

Jillian took a shaky breath. "Look…I'm not…I'm not sure what we should do in this scenario."

"We should call the police!" Shouted Kelly.

Grimalkin snarled, getting on edge again.

Jillian hushed her. "Would you calm down a second?"

"No!"

"They've been through a lot of trauma, okay? I'm not going to pretend like those people didn't deserve it—"

"Oh they definitely did!" Kelly agreed. "I'm just saying—"

"Look at them Kelly." Jillian gestured. "They're tired, dirty, and hurt. I'm sure there's going to be a whirlwind of police and hospitals and…whatever. Let's just…give them a few minutes out of the rain, okay? Where they can breathe and…I don't know, relax?"

Marinette frowned to herself. Relax? What did that mean anymore?

"Marinette honey," Jillian said walking closer. "Your hair is disgusting." She chuckled.

That was something Lady Lacrima couldn't argue with, and she twitched her lip in a smile.

"Can I wash your hair? Give you a trim? It might make you feel better."

Feel better. That's all they wanted. They wanted all this rage and pain and hurt to go away.

She nodded stiltedly.

Kelly seemed to come to grips with what they were doing and smiled a little more at Grimalkin. "And what about you Adrien? Would you like your hair washed? I know cats don't really like water…" She chuckled.

The joke made Grimalkin's eyes dilate and his ears perk up. He looked to his lady, asking her to answer.

She met his gaze, translating his look. "As long as he can keep an eye on me."

"Of course! We'll put you right next to each other, and you can hold hands!" Jillian grinned. "C'mon, right here. Just settle in and relax." She gestured to two chairs with sinks connected to the head rests.

Kelly walked over to the door. "I'm going to lock the door so no one comes in. You can still leave anytime you want, though." Then she closed the blinds on the windows so no one would look in.

Both of the akuma sat down carefully, watching the hairdressers as they got their supplies ready.

"Now," began Jillian, playing with Lady Lacrima's hair. "I can see already that your tattoo has some infection on it. It's not really bad, the first letter just has some blistering on it. I can apply some rubbing alcohol to help…but you really need to get to a hospital when you can." She ran her thumb over it lightly, making Lady Lacrima wince. "For other reasons too, of course."

Grimalkin heard her wince and sat up to growl at Jillian, but Lady Lacrima just squeezed his hand in reassurance. Hesitantly, he leaned back again.

Kelly came around to make eye contact with him. "Chat, your left ear is really infected, and the right may be so too. I can also put some rubbing alcohol on it, but it won't really help. Don't take out the earrings either, or else the holes will close with the infection still inside. I'll try to be careful, but I might bump them while I wash your hair."

Grimalkin frowned slightly, but gave a little nod in understanding.

Then they both heard the sinks turn on, and braced for cold water to splash them.

But it didn't. Jillian and Kelly just sprayed their scalps with a warm, gentle stream. Then they started to massage shampoo into their long overdue hair.

"This shampoo is specially designed for thick blonde hair," Kelly commented, carefully scrubbing days of oil out of his locks and making the color shine again. "It's Diamond Oil from Redken. Your color has faded with your natural oils and lack of vitamins. This should make your hair feel nice and silky."

A loud purr cut through the air as Grimalkin closed his eyes and enjoyed the ministrations.

Lady Lacrima sighed softly in return. "This feels nice."

"Good, you deserve it. I'm sorry I can't offer more."

"This is fine." She insisted. "We have some business to take care of after this. Then we'll be getting proper treatment."

"Oh good!" Chirped Kelly. "I was worried! Because akumas aren't really…they don't really give up on their own…"

"The suits that Hawkmoth have provided us act like exoskeletons. Our wounds are packed."

"Still…" said Jillian. "Don't let this business take you too long. A lot of people are worried about you both."

Lady Lacrima rolled her eyes despite the sad tone she spoke with. "You mean my parents? They're just about the only people that ever believed me. Everyone else thinks this whole thing was a hoax. No one even tried to save us."

Jillian rinsed the shampoo, and then knelt at Lady Lacrima's side and took her hand. "Marinette, a handful of gullible people believed it was a hoax. Everyone else in Paris, in _France_, the whole world even…we believed it was really happening. And people tried to find you…I'm sorry that they couldn't."

"Like who?" she challenged back.

"Like the police. At least four investigators were killed while looking for you."

Lady Lacrima didn't have an answer for that, and so she didn't say anything.

"Rena Rouge, Carapace, and Queen Bee were also spotted a handful of times," Kelly added. "But for a while, the police were saying you were in Germany."

Rena Rouge.

That name sparked anger in Lady Lacrima.

Alya.

Her best friend.

Ex-best friend.

Who had turned her back when Marinette needed it the most, trusted a liar and left her in the dust. It was a petty high school squabble, one that most people would have forgotten and let go of, considering the circumstances.

But Marinette had a lot of time alone with her thoughts. A lot of time to stew in her hurt from her betrayal.

The Cesaire apartment wasn't that far away. Alya would be first. A warm up.

Jillian spoke again. "You're tensing up. I'm supposed to be helping you relax. I'm sorry. I'll shut up."

Yes, revenge would come, but this was now. And she wanted to feel better.

Jillian rinsed the conditioner. "You know, I've got this facial cleanser from Lancôme, would you like to try it?"

"Alright," Said Lady Lacrima.

Jillian squirted some mousse onto her fingertips and gently began to massage the cleanser onto her face. "Smells nice, right?"

"Feels nice."

The bubbles turned pink with the blood they picked up. But the black streaks under her eyes remained. Jillian passed the cleanser to Kelly so she could put some on Grimalkin's face.

"There," said Jillian as she dried off her hands. "Just relax for a minute and let the cleanser have a chance to get into your pores. We'll be right here."

At first it was relaxing, the month of grease being lifted from her skin as the bubbles tingled. But then the silence became maddening, and she became paranoid. And by the way Grimalkin squeezed her hand, he was too.

"Jillian? What are you doing?"

"I'm getting you some wine. Just a little. I don't have any food unless you want a sucker." She chuckled.

"And Kelly?"

"I'm just sweeping!" She called from the other side of the room.

Jillian came back over, and a wet washcloth delicately cleaned off the suds. She then placed a dry towel on her hair. "Alright, let's get you into a chair."

Kelly mirrored the action with Grimalkin, careful of his ears, both fake and real.

They moved over to a pair of barber chairs, positioned just a little too far away to hold hands.

Grimalkin whimpered.

"I'm right here, love." Lady Lacrima said softly. "It's alright."

Jillian handed them both a glass of red wine, before getting to work tying a smock on their shoulders. Then they were both turned to face the mirrors.

In this lighting, the damage was even worse. This was the first glance they got to their akumatized forms.

"Is that me?" Lady Lacrima asked, distressed by how deranged she looked.

"You look pretty badass." Said Kelly. "Don't stress out about it. You don't plan to be akumatized forever, right?"

"I…I guess not…"

Still, it was a jarring sight. She barely recognized herself.

"Marinette, I used a lot of conditioner, but your hair is still pretty tangled. This might hurt."

"Okay."

She could hear Grimalkin whimper again as Kelly started to pick through his tangled mess. She cooed over him. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

It didn't last too long though. Soon, the teeth of the comb were gliding through her locks and dragging across her itchy scalp. Lady Lacrima sunk into her chair and exhaled loudly.

"Will it bother you if I use an electric razor?"

"Since you warned me, it should be alright. What about you kitty? Can you handle that?"

Grimalkin let out a relaxed sigh.

"He's alright with it."

So Jillian and Kelly got to work, trimming and evening out the hack job Salo had done.

"There. That'll do for now." Jillian took off the smock and brushed the loose hair from her neck. "Come see me again sometime. We'll make sure to take good care of you."

Lady Lacrima finished off her glass. "Thank you, Jillian. Kelly. Once we give up our akumas, I doubt we will remember this. But we do appreciate your hospitality."

Kelly towel dried Grimalkin's hair, fluffing it up. "There, now you look a little less threatening."

With a smile, Lady Lacrima pet his head, eliciting a purr from deep in his chest.

Jillian let out a trembling exhale. "Alright. We won't keep you any longer. We won't tell a soul you were here. Do what you need to do and then get to a hospital. I beg you."

Lady Lacrima gave a half smile. "We'll do our best." Then she took Grimalkin's hand and led him out of the salon.

Once they were gone, Kelly fell into a chair. "That was the scariest thing I've ever done! Why did you let them stay?! Why didn't you call the police!?"

Jillian also sat in a chair, swinging around to lean her arms on the back. "I was watching the stream on my break. I saw what they did. I saw…how they killed all those people. Part of me was worried that if we turned on them, they'd kill us too. But the other part of me was just worried about Marinette. I've been cutting her hair for…probably 15 years. I love her…and I just wanted to help."

"Jill. You are too kind for your own good."

"I try. Let's clean up and head to the bar."

"Sounds good to me!"

—

The rain continued, but it eased into a manageable drizzle. Now, people were starting to venture out onto the streets.

Lady Lacrima summoned a grappling hook with a steel cable, then tossed it up to the rooftops. "You ready, kitty cat?"

Grimalkin purred deviously, as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

Together, they launched into the air and landed on a familiar terrain of sloping roofs and terra cotta chimneys. Old friends greeted them. Pigeons and the wind.

Grimalkin sneezed.

"Gesundheit."

He stood a little taller and looked her in the eye, asking her a question.

"You remember Alya, right?"

His lip twitched in a preempted snarl.

"After all this time, her actions still hurt me. Her home isn't far from here…let's take care of her first, before the others."

Grimalkin's eyes were wide and his ears back as he whimpered lowly.

"No darling, we're not going to hurt her…just scare her. Shake her up a bit."

He seemed much more receptive to that plan as he gestured her on, in a 'ladies first' sort of way.

The path to the Cesaire household was muscle memory. It was one of their landmarks for patrol in Montparnasse. The corner, top-floor apartment on a few story building.

They landed on the balcony outside Alya's room. The windows were shut and locked. Peering inside, the room was dark and void of people.

"I don't see her. She may not be home, or she might be in the living room."

Grimalkin leapt to the next balcony over, pointing at the window cracked open.

"This is the twin's room. We must be quiet."

She opened the window slowly, and crawled inside. Both of the little girls were in their beds, sleeping peacefully. Grimalkin stepped in too, slinking in like a cat.

Unfortunately, the girl's room was not as tidy as they had hoped, and Grimalkin's first step on the floor landed on a doll.

_Let it go! Let it go! _

Grimalkin growled at the sound.

Ella stirred. "Mmm?"

The akumas froze, hoping the girl would go back to sleep.

But instead, she sat up and rubbed her eyes.

Lady Lacrima waited, crouching close to the ground to try to remain unseen.

But as Ella blinked to alertness, she noticed Grimalkin's eyes, which glowed red in the dark.

She inhaled to scream, and Lady Lacrima leapt, pressing a hand on the girl's mouth. "Sshhh…" she hushed, quietly.

A scream tore out from the other side of the room, where Etta had awakened.

"Shit," Lady Lacrima swore under her breath.

There was no time to hide. Frantic steps ran to the room and the door swung open to reveal Nora.

"Who the hell—!?"

Grimalkin leapt at her, slammed her against the wall, and pressed his claws to her throat with a deep jungle cat growl.

But Nora was a fighter, and she didn't take to being slammed around kindly. She slammed her fist into Grimalkin's stomach, making him recoil.

In the chaos, Etta and Ella dove under a bed to hide.

"That's enough, Nora." Lady Lacrima demanded, summoning a machete. "We have no quarrel with you."

"Like hell you don't! You were trying to hurt my little sister!" She barked, ready to punch again.

Otis and Marlena came running after the shout, and stood in the doorway, horrified.

"You misunderstand. We're looking for Alya."

Nora's face twisted slightly in confusion, then realization. "Beetle? Mr. Whiskers?"

Marlena stepped into the room. "Marinette? Is that you? How did you…? They said you were…you…" She sobbed and ran and hugged her. "We've all been so worried about you!"

The machete fell to the ground and disappeared.

Grimalkin growled, but didn't attack.

Marlena pulled back. "Alya's safe. Don't worry."

"Where? I need to talk to her!"

"You need to get to a hospital."

"Tell me where Alya is!" Lady Lacrima screamed, startling the woman.

Nora rested a hand on her mother's shoulder and pulled her back. "She's an akuma mom, she's dangerous."

"Tell me where Alya is right now or I'll force it out of you!" She trembled. Her wrath and her innate moral compass warred with each other, the urge to hurt becoming stronger and stronger.

"She's at the Agreste Manor, with your parents," Nora answered. "Mr. Agreste has the whole place on lockdown. There's no way to get in unless he lets you in. And I doubt he will if you're like this."

_Like this._

She said it like Lady Lacrima was a monster. Inhuman.

Maybe she was. Marinette had lost her humanity in the darkness. Only pieces of it remained.

Grimalkin paced the room, unsure what to do. No one was attacking, and his lady wasn't giving any commands. It was easier not to think for himself. Just protect his lady, and do as she asks. That was all he had to do.

Lady Lacrima let out a strangled cry.

She just wanted to fix her hurt!

"Ladybug?" A little voice spoke.

Etta and Ella poked out from under the bed, looking at her with teary eyes.

"I…am not Ladybug. Not anymore."

"Why not?" They asked.

She didn't answer, just looked at them with some degree of disgust.

"They didn't watch the stream." Marlena explained. "We couldn't bare to let them. Would you really like little kids watching that?"

Lady Lacrima hugged herself.

Grimalkin crouched, coming closer to the little girls.

"And you're Chat Noir!" Etta chirped, touching his cat ears.

He shook his head, backing away.

Marlena took a different approach to diffuse the situation. "You two must be hungry, why don't you come in and eat?"

_Eat._

Lady Lacrima swallowed. She was hungry. So hungry!

Grimalkin's stomach grumbled loudly.

Nora rolled her eyes and grabbed Lady Lacrima's wrist. "Come on. That wasn't a suggestion, it was a demand."

Lady Lacrima pulled at the hand tugging her, instincts telling her that a firm grasp on the wrist meant pain, but her brain and her stomach felt otherwise. Everyone being so nice to them was throwing a wrench in their revenge plot.

Grimalkin was being led by the hand and tail by the twins.

In the light of the apartment, the Cesaire's got a better look at them.

"Is that blood?" Ella asked, pointing to the red stains on Grimalkin's suit.

He nodded.

"Cool."

Marlena gestured to the couch. "Take a seat here. I'll get something warmed up for you."

So they sat, hunched, tense, and uncomfortable, no matter how soft and plush the cushions felt. Ella and Etta sat on the couch on either side of them, making the akuma scoot closer together.

Otis sat at the other end of the couch, and turned on the TV.

"_…over a several hour period of absence, it was concluded that Marinette Dupain-Cheng actually escaped Salo and her men, though Adrien Agreste was left behind."_ Nadja was on the screen, with a banner under her name that read, 'Breaking news: Ladybug and Chat Noir Escape Torture.' _"In the hours of her disappearance, Agreste was flogged near death. Then finally, after ten hours, Dupain-Cheng was brought back and was flogged as well. _

_"Then, in a stunning twist, Hawkmoth was the first to locate the heroes and come to their rescue, akumatizing them to aid in their own escape. They seem to go by the name 'Lady Lacrima' and 'Grimalkin'. The cameras caught this chilling scene from the final broadcast on 'make ladybug suffer dot com'. Please be advised, the footage is graphic, and not suitable for young audiences."_

The scene jumped to a recording of the torture chamber. Salo's body laid on the floor in shadow, so the gore wasn't completely seen. But Lady Lacrima and Grimalkin were still dripping red as they looked down at her. Butterfly masks appeared over their faces.

_"No…Paris has gotten lazy with Ladybug and Chat Noir around. And in our absence, things have only gotten worse."_ She paused. _"And we'll get it. But we have business to attend too. Thank you for the akuma, I'll be taking it now. Goodbye."_

She turned to face the camera, with eyes that held no mercy. _"I am Lady Lacrima. This is Grimalkin. We seek Justice, and Justice will be what we get." _

Grimalkin pounced at the camera, and the feed ended.

Nadja came back on the screen. "_This scene took place one hour ago, and we are continuing our coverage as the story updates. It is not yet known if Ladybug and Chat Noir are still akumatized, or whether or not they are even in Paris. No sightings have yet to be reported. _

_"Fifteen minutes ago, Minster of Interior, Arthur Vanderguard, tweeted the following: 'The reign of Salo is over. Thank you to the brave men and women who have put their lives on the line in the investigation of this case. We will not rest until Marinette and Adrien are home.'" _

Lady Lacrima tilted her head in confusion. "Who is this Arthur Vanderguard?"

Otis answered, "The Minister of Interior is the government official in charge of homeland security. He's like the boss of the chief of police and the Secret service. He's been catching a lot of flack for your case."

Lady Lacrima squinted her eyes, the name was familiar, but she couldn't place it.

"Here we are!" Said Malena, placing a plate on the coffee table. "The soup is warming up, but I've got some fresh bread from your father, and these appetizers left over from a dinner at the hotel tonight. Honeycrisp apples with brie, wrapped in prosciutto, with a balsamic glaze."

Lady Lacrima licked her lips. "…thank you."

"Of course dear."

_"…has been criticized over the last month and a half since Ladybug and Chat Noir's capture. Most notably for withdrawing troops from the investigation and allowing Edward Savauge to walk free." _

Lady Lacrima looked up at the screen and zeroed in on the story.

It was a previous recording, of Arthur Vandergaurd at a press conference._ "Talking with M. Savauge, we have ruled out his involvement with Salo and the capture of Ladybug and Chat Noir. He has agreed to cooperate with us to find them, so that they can be rescued." _

_"That press conference was held two weeks ago, and even now, Edward Savauge hasn't even met with investigators. He most likely will not be holding up his end of the bargain." _

Lady Lacrima's spoon clattered to the floor.

_"During the course of the investigation, four investigators were killed under uncertain circumstances. The only connection between the murders was, of course, the link to the Ladybug and Chat Noir case. After the death of Detective Bertony, resources were pulled from the case, a move that contradicts normal procedure. In response, Mr. Vanderguard had this to say."_

The shot again changed to the Minister of Interior at the Press Conference._ "My officers assume the risk of bodily harm and losing their life when they join the force. But they don't expect to be in danger when they go home to be with their wives and children. Being assigned to the task force of looking for M. Agreste and Mlle. Dupain-Cheng, is a death sentence. We unfortunately have not made any headway in the investigation, despite all that has been broadcasted. We believe that Detective Bertony had a lead, but all information with him in his hotel room was reduced to ash on the balcony. Because of the nature of these murders, I will be launching an inside investigation among the police in Paris, conducted by an outside attorney. Mayor Bourgeois has approved the city's plan for a comprehensive, independent, transparent investigation of the task force members' misconduct. As much as we owe to Ladybug and Chat Noir, we can't afford to lose anyone else to these terrorists. This investigation will most likely further disrupt our work on the Ladybug and Chat Noir case. _

_"While this investigation goes on, I ask that everyone stop watching the stream on 'make ladybug suffer dot com'. Giving Salo and her men attention is only fueling their torment of the victims. Ladybug and Chat Noir will be safer if we stop watching. _

_"To the families of M. Agreste and Mlle. Dupain-Cheng, I am truly sorry." _

Nadja came back to the screen._ "Though the apologies of the Minister seem to be well intentioned, critics have been asking the same question that goes unanswered. Where is the French Gendarmerie? Isn't it made for situations like this?" _

Lady Lacrima stood. "Thank you for the food. We must be going now."

"Are you sure?"

"We have wasted enough time. Tell no one we were here…for your own safety."

And just like that, she threw open the window, and they leapt out into the night.

Malena sighed as she collected their dishes, noticing how little they had eaten. "That was sudden. I wonder if it had anything to do with the news?"

"I think it had everything to do with the news. If I was the Minister of Interior, I'd pray to God right now."

—

This chapter was born of me, a cosmetologist's daughter, thinking "if I was isolated for a month in complete darkness, in my own filth, for a month, what is the first thing I would do when I got out?" and my immediate answer was, "wash my hair, eat, and sleep for 24 hours, in that order."

Hey! So are you super eager for the next chapter? Well good news for you! ShadeOps21 wrote an alternate ending to the rescue! He posed to me, "what would happen if GIGN did what they do and rescued Adrien and Marinette?" I said "I dunno what that is." So he wrote it!

Basically special forces come in and save the day and it's awesome and intense and everyone should read it. It's called 'Even Heroes have Heroes' on Ao3.


	28. Hunting

I'm sorry this chapter is late, I had another commission! I actually chopped it in half to get it out in time.

Next chapter MAY be late as well, because of the Christmas, but I'll do my best.

Okay, so I made a little hiccup. The Mayor is under the Minister of Interior as far as ranking. I went to school for art, not Parisian government…

*slams on the gas pedal*

—

Six Weeks Prior

—

Arthur Vanderguard's already full plate just got another heaping helping dropped on top. Just ten minutes after the first broadcast ended, he found his phone ringing off the hook. The Chief of Police, the Mayor, the Prime Minister…everyone had questions, orders, ideas.

He just wanted a minute to think.

Chloe Bourgeois had been the first to call, demanding to know what he planned on doing to save her friends. He assured that he'd do everything in his power to make that happen.

But it had to be Ladybug and Chat Noir he was saving…

And it had to be Edward Savauge's family he was dealing with.

Every time that man came to town, it was trouble. How many good officers had he lost to him? How many men had thought they would be the one to tackle the Big Fish?

At this point in his career, he knew that dealing with Savauge was an impossible task. The man knew too much. Knew more than Arthur did. Or he knew people that knew things. Even with undeniable evidence, he was still able to weasel his way out of the system. It was unbearable.

As for Ladybug and Chat Noir…he didn't hate them, but he didn't like them either. If they had just stuck to fighting akumas and Hawkmoth, they would have gotten along well enough. But when they started to branch out into regular crime, then it became a headache.

Because they weren't equipped to handle criminals. They couldn't make arrests. The best they could do was tie them up and call an officer out. And then, unless they stuck around to describe the crime, the person had to be let go.

It was a red tape nightmare, these vigilantes.

So saving people he actively disliked from people he had never beaten?

He needed a drink.

Hours later, late into the night, the bottle of Mondavi was half empty, and the broadcast had been rewatched about 18 times. His notebook laid on the table, scribbled notes for plans of action. He'd have to talk with Europol, and the French Gendarmerie. Because this wasn't a typical kidnapping, they'd have to be careful. Salo and her men could move at any moment, undoing everything, if they got a whiff of what was going on. And knowing Edward Savauge, there was little that they could hide.

There was a knock at the door.

Arthur muted his tv, and glanced at the clock. It was nearing 4am.

The knock was a little more insistent.

It was probably his police chief, coming to seek him out in person after ignoring several phone calls.

But as he opened the door, he saw a woman with red hair up in a bun with reflective sunglasses instead, flanked by huge bodyguards on both sides.

"Nope." He said as he attempted to close the door.

A hand took hold and forced the door open, letting the group inside.

"Hello Arthur, you're looking well."

Arthur backed up into his couch, nearly flipping over the back. "How did you find me?"

"A wild guess." Said Salo, waltzing around the apartment and making herself at home. The large men blocked the exits.

Salo wandered into the kitchen area, seeing the wine on the island. "Mondavi? How rude, I didn't take you as a Napa Valley man." She sniffed the bottle and then poured herself a glass. "It's been a while. What, three years since you last tried to arrest me?"

Arthur didn't respond, just looked at the men she had with her.

"Relax. We're not here to hurt you."

"Then why did you come?"

"Just to chat." She sat down on his couch and kicked her boots up on his coffee table. "I can see you watched my work."

The muted stream was still looping on the TV.

"It was hard to miss." He answered.

"Let's be honest. You don't really like Ladybug and Chat Noir, do you?"

He didn't answer.

"I mean, that's what the word around town is. At least by my ears. You complain every time they step in to save the day."

"Ladybug's magic reset button is invaluable to the city. As long as she fixes damage from the akumas, I'm fine."

"You're avoiding the question, Artie."

"Fine, sometimes they make my job harder. Is that what you want to hear? They're children. I can't hate them for wanting to keep Paris safe. Especially since they have super powers."

"Interesting. Good to see you haven't grown completely callus. Your ex-wife might think differently though."

Arthur's eyes widened.

"And your little girl, Ava. She loves Chat Noir, doesn't she?" Salo smiled, showing her cards.

Arthur got her point. "What do you want?"

"I'm just here to give you a reminder. I have ears in Place Beauvau and The Police Prefecture. We _let_ you take care of crimes that get in our way. We _let_ you look like you're keeping Paris safe. So we'll _let_ you look like you're investigating this case too, because everyone will be watching you. But if you or any of your men step a toe out of line, you'll regret it."

"Are you threatening me?"

"No. Just warning. For your sake, and for Ava's." She threw her wine glass down on the floor, smashing the glass and sending little red droplets on the white carpet. "I suggest you act like a babbling moron. After all, you'd rather lose your job than lose the little family you have left, right?"

Arthur swallowed. "You make your point clear."

"Good. Can't wait to see what kind of lame excuses you put out when people start asking questions."

He nodded in understanding.

"And one more thing…Eddy is going free."

"I…will try to make that happen without looking suspicious."

"That's a good man." She stood. "Now, I'm afraid I can't sit around and talk. I have work to do. And I suppose you do too."

He nodded sheepishly.

"I'll be taking the rest of the Mondavi. You shouldn't be drinking it with your heart medication."

He didn't say anything. He _couldn't_ say anything. But as soon as that door shut, he felt a cold hand on his throat. In his haze, he wandered into the bathroom. His face was pale in the mirror, and he looked ten years older. He opened the medicine cabinet and looked at the medication Salo had mentioned. How had she known about his heart condition? He had just been diagnosed a few weeks ago. He hadn't told anyone…

The bottle was half full. Plenty to end his problems.

Since when did he become such a coward? Watching people die, having things run out of control, the stress of an entire city on your shoulders…it changes a person. It changed him.

He shook two tablets into his palm and put the rest back into his cabinet.

There would be a loophole to save the kids.

And tomorrow's Arthur Vanderguard had to be here to find it.

—

Present Day

—

The night crept onward. The darkness deepening in the hours. Lights in homes and businesses went out as people went home and went to bed. Unsuspecting innocents that had no idea of the danger that lurked.

Minister of Interior, Arthur Vanderguard, was a dead man. And he knew it, judging how he kept his head on a swivel.

Ladybug and Chat Noir were free and akumatized. Salo was dead, along with several of her henchmen.

And now everyone was waiting apprehensively while the aftermath unfolded.

Arthur himself sat at his desk, while the mayor sat in a chair nearby. The mayor's daughter, Chloe Bourgeois, who refused to listen to anyone, sat next to him. Officers were dispatched all over the city, keeping an eye out for the akumas, while the phones were manned, waiting for any sightings.

They could be anywhere.

Doubtless, Edward Savauge knew that they were free and someone was responsible for it.

So Arthur was understandably stressed.

Chloe was not helping, with the tapping of the keys on her phone.

"Miss Bourgeois, I must state again that this is a very sensitive situation—"

"And I'll state again that Adrien is my best friend and I'm one of the only other heroes out there that can stop them. I'm in contact with Rena Rouge and Carapace. I'm staying."

Arthur grunted, tapping his fingers on his desk.

A knock came from the door.

"Yes?"

"A man is here to see you sir, a witness."

"Bring him in."

A bald man, dripping with blood, but relatively unharmed, was escorted into his office.

"M. Pierre Rouso." One of the officers introduced. "He said he was the camera man during the akuma attack with Salo."

Arthur paled. "Someone survived?"

"Y-yes sir," said the man. He was sweaty, panting, and pale. "I…I think she let me live so I could give them directions out."

"She?"

"Lady Lacrima."

"Alright. How much time do we have until they reach Paris?"

"They never left."

Arthur flicked his gaze up to the two lower ranked officers. "Close and lock the door."

He waited until the deed was done before asking quietly. "What do you mean, they never left?"

"We've been in Paris the whole time. In a bunker in the catacombs."

Arthur rolled his eyes in disgust. _The catacombs_. Wasn't it obvious? "Does anyone know you came here?"

"Only Lady Lacrima and Grimalkin."

"You haven't talked to anyone else? Not any pedestrians?"

"No! I ran straight here…well, I disconnected from the server and locked the gate so no one came get in or out."

Arthur came closer to the man. "Out? There's other survivors?"

"No, I mean…prisoners. Ladybug and Chat Noir weren't the only one's being tortured down there."

"Sweet Jesus…"

"I think she wanted me to come here to get men down there right away…cleaning up the bodies and rescuing the other prisoners. I'm willing to work with you 100%. I was being blackmailed and—"

"Everyone's being blackmailed." Arthur interrupted. "There's no one working under Salo or Savauge that hasn't been blackmailed or threatened in some capacity. That's how they stay on top. If M. Savauge finds out you're still alive…you're going to wish Lady Lacrima had killed you."

The man shrunk back. "Are…are you being blackmailed?"

Arthur's gaze flicked over to Chloe. It would be so much easier to just confess the truth. He had been hiding it for so long… "I'm afraid that's none of your business."

Mayor Bourgeois took out a handkerchief and dabbed his forehead. "Surely M. Savauge wouldn't be angry with a survivor, right?"

A new voice spoke from the window. "You're worried about the wrong person, M. Vanderguard."

Arthur whipped his head around, coming face to face with Lady Lacrima and Grimalkin. They looked much more volatile in real life. "How—How did you get in?"

"Just because you're on the top floor, doesn't mean you shouldn't lock your windows." The curtains fluttered in the evening breeze.

Arthur went to take his gun from his holster, but before he could, steel claws closed around his throat.

Chloe shrieked.

Pierre fell to the ground while the other officers withdrew guns. "Freeze!"

Lady Lacrima took no heed as she summoned a lance.

The men opened fire on her as she leapt off the desk and impaled one of the officers with a pole. The other grabbed her and flipped her into a glass cabinet.

"Bad move!" She hissed, grabbing a vase nearby. She careened it into the side of his head, knocking him out. Still filled with rage, she summoned a pipe and wailed on his body.

Chloe watched this all in stunned horror before she ran to Grimalkin and grabbed his wrist. "Let him go Adrien! You don't hurt people! Please!"

Grimalkin turned his blood red eyes on her, boring holes into her soul. This was not the Adrien she knew. Not by a long shot.

"Adrikins…?"

Lady Lacrima grabbed her by the shoulder and yanked her back so she fell on her rear. "Chloe, Chloe, Chloe…" She chastised.

Chloe scooted back, trying in vain to get away.

"You know, you're on my list too. Years and years of being the bigger person, trying to turn the other cheek…years of suffering, self doubt, injustice…and now there's nothing you or your 'daddy' can do to stop me." She summoned a giant meat hook.

Chloe's back ran into a bookshelf. She was overwhelmed with fear. "I'm sorry, Marinette!"

"You're sorry now, now that there's no where to run."

Chloe summoned every ounce of courage left inside her. "I was sorry the second I saw you were Ladybug!"

Lady Lacrima stopped her advancement and listened.

"Ladybug made me want to be a better person. The person I respected the most…and I was so awful to you. And you still put up with me! I've been doing everything I could to find you! Why do you think I'm here right now?!"

Lady Lacrima snarled. "I just hear a bunch of excuses!"

"Pollen, Buzz On!"

In a flash of gold light, Queen Bee appeared in Chloe's place.

That only served to enrage Lady Lacrima as she plunged the hook into the wood of the shelf. "You don't deserve that! I took that from you!"

Chloe scrambled to her feet. She was too terrified to argue.

"He replaced me!" Lady Lacrima screamed. "He just gave out more Miraculous!"

"To save you! Not to replace you!" Chloe called, as she ran to her father. "You're irreplaceable!"

"They why didn't you come for me!?"

The Mayor grabbed his daughter. "Don't argue with her Chloe! She can't hear you!"

"She won't remember what I say anyways!" Chloe cried back, wrapping her arm around her father. "Let's get out of here!" She cast her spinning top out the open window and together they fled.

Lady Lacrima scoffed. "Cowards."

Grimalkin still had Arthur by the throat.

Pierre sat on the ground not too far away, watching them with horror.

Lady Lacrima stood over him, smiling gently. "You did good. Just as I asked. So I'll spare you."

The man sniveled in response.

"But you…" she stated, walking up to Arthur. His face was red as sweat and tears covered his skin. "You have some explaining to do."

Arthur clawed at the hand on his throat, trying to get air to speak. "I—I tried…" he choked.

"I heard you though." She said, plainly. "You're just another one of Edward Savauge's pawns. Too afraid to get your hands dirty."

"I—I have a little girl—" He begged.

"You have a job! And you failed us!"

Arthur choked.

Grimalkin grunted and dragged the man over to the window. Then with ungodly strength, he held him out, dangling freely over the street.

Arthur held onto his wrist and kicked his legs.

"Where is Edward Savauge?" She asked.

He didn't answer, staring her right in the eye.

Grimalkin removed a finger from his throat, and Arthur could feel himself sliding.

"Where is Edward Savauge!?" She screamed.

"At—At his Penthouse—on the south side of the Arc de Triomphe—blue roof—orange…bricks…top floor…"

Lady Lacrima simply nodded at Grimalkin, prompting him to let go.

They didn't watch him fall. Didn't wait for him to hit the ground. Only dropped, and then moved onto the next target.

—

Edward Savauge was a patriot through and through. He loved Italy. It gave him everything. He only ever left for business.

France was…a disappointment, but he chose to enjoy the finer things Paris had to offer. That's why he had a penthouse with a view to his favorite Landmark.

He had stayed much longer than he ever had before, and longed with every part of his being to go home. He was only supposed to be in town for a week, to deal with his failed contact. After disposing of Charles, he would collect the insurance money from his wife, and then set up a new contact. And even then, finding a new dealer wouldn't necessitate him to stay in Paris.

But alas, he had to stay now. Especially now that those children were loose. Honestly, he expected more from his top girl.

But Hawkmoth's secret was just one of a few he didn't know. The man was shaping up to be a real rival. After he took care of those kids, he'd find the Mothman, and take his jewelry from him!

"Sir, if I may be so bold...aren't you afraid of the Akuma?" Asked his butler, an older gentleman.

Edward sat is his library, ambient light casting the room with a soft glow. He swirled the grappa in his glass, and leaned his head on his hand.

"A man like me doesn't feel fear, Rupert. Do you have children?"

"You know the answer to that, sir."

"Play with me." Edward smiled.

"No, I have no children."

"Then allow me to explain something to you. When children become afraid, they become unreasonable. I simply intend to show them there's nothing to be afraid of, and they will submit."

"That's awfully presumptuous of you, sir."

"Hawkmoth, Ladybug and Chat Noir, the police, all of them are predictable."

"What…if they aren't afraid?"

Edward laughed. "Why wouldn't they be afraid? I'm the reason they were captured. Fear doesn't mean they'd hide from me. It can mean they're taking advantage of their heightened state to attack me."

"And you don't believe they could be a threat to you?"

"Not those kids. They're too soft. They won't kill me."

"Just like they killed Miss Bianca and her men?"

"You've got me there, friend." He sipped his drink. "But that's what the men downstairs are for. We'll wrangle them, and they'll just be another pawn for my collection. It's as I've done to every enemy of mine. Now that I know the identities of the Cat and Bug, they will be even more willing to listen to reason." He gestured to a manilla envelope on the table. "Miss Dupain-Cheng has family in close proximity to our home office. And Mr. Agreste has family unprotected and unaware in England. Plenty of reasons why getting on my bad side is a bad idea…if they haven't already figured that out." He set down his glass and picked up a box of Toscanos. "Would you like one Rupert?"

"You're offering me one of your cigars?"

"Think of it as a special occasion."

The butler came closer and took a cigar, allowing his boss to light it.

"Take a seat, old friend. I could use the company."

Rupert did as he was told, sitting and smoking in the silent night. He chanced a glance at Edward, seeing the cigar shaking slightly in his hand.

Ah.

They were going to die, then.

When music started to play from the other room, Edward tensed and closed his eyes. He sighed, smoke exhaling. "How ironic. _Una Furtiva Lacrima._ I used to love that song."

_A single secret tear_

_from her eye did spring:_

_as if she envied all the youths_

_that laughingly passed her by._

The door behind them creaked open. There was no bursting down the door, no shouting and yelling, no gun shots. They had made their way here almost effortlessly.

Swallowing, Edward swiveled his chair around. "It seems you and I both have a penchant for theatrics. Not something I would have expected from you."

But as he looked to the opened doorway, there was no one there. No light coming from the hall, just a wall of darkness.

Then a thump of something hitting the floor, before a red stain bled over into the carpet.  
_What more searching need I do?_

_What more searching need I do?_

_She loves me! Yes, she loves me, I see it. I see it._

_For just an instant the beating_

_of her beautiful heart I could feel!_

Lady Lacrima stood in the frame, the blood that had washed off by the rain was accompanied by even more. Splatters on her cheek, blood dripping from the deadly mace in her hand. Her face showed no emotion, no mercy, no anger, nothing.

She looked like the angel of death, coming to claim his soul.

_As if my sighs were hers,_

_and her sighs were mine!_

_The beating, the beating of her heart I could feel,_

_to merge my sighs with hers..._

"I don't suppose we could talk this out? You know, I can give you anything you want. And unlike with my usual contacts, I wouldn't ask for much in return. Just my life spared, as well as my friend Rupert here. He's my butler, you see. Never did a thing wrong, just worked for an honest wage."

Lady Lacrima just stared him down, and it felt impossible to tell if she was listening or not.

Or if she was just trying to make him squirm.

Finally, she raised her chin to look at him levelly. "Others begged. Salo, she spent her last breath threatening me, Pasolini promised us wealth and power…and you are here bartering, as if this is another day in business."

Edward took another puff on his cigar. "No one's ever beaten me before, you know? I haven't served prison time since I was a boy. Plenty of guns have pointed me down, but not a single has gone off. Ladybug, you've been the first to get so close. I might actually be scared of you."

"This is how you show fear? By flattery?"

"Is it working?"

She shook her head.

"Thought not." He finished off his grappa. "But what can I say, I'm a gambling man. I thought I'd try my luck." His brows furrowed. "Where's the Cat?"

Lady Lacrima didn't answer, but judging by the ever so slight smile on her lips, he didn't want to hear it.

_Heavens! Yes, I could die!_

_I could ask for nothing more, nothing more._

_Oh, heavens! Yes, I could, I could die!_

_I could ask for nothing more, nothing more._

A thud hit the ground behind him and a ball rolled forward between his feet.

No, not a ball.

A head.

The head of one of his men downstairs, completely covered in blood. It stopped, facing him, jaw open and eyes staring lifelessly into his.

_Yes, I could die! Yes, I could die_.

—

Queen Bee and Mayor Bourgeois swung through the pouring rain to the Agreste Mansion. She landed inside the gate, before running up the stairs and pounding on the door. "Madam Cheng! Madam Cheng!" She cried.

In mere seconds, the door flew open and Sabine gaped at them in shock.

"Chloe?"

Chloe, still reeling from the horrific scene at the police prefecture, all but collapsed against the woman, sobbing.

Sabine looked to the Mayor in confusion.

He was pale, windswept, and stricken.

She led them both inside.

"Where's Gabriel? Alya?"

Sabine didn't answer. "What happened to you two?"

The mayor responded, "I received a call from the chief of police that Adrien and Marinette had become akumatized and escaped. So Chloe and I went to the precinct to check in with the Minister of Interior…"

"They showed up and killed some police officers! We didn't stay but I'm sure they killed the minister too!" Chloe lamented. "And Marinette! She tried to—she tried to kill me too! She was so angry! I didn't know what to do!"

Tom and Sabine looked at each other, holding a silent conversation.

Tom took an arm around the Mayor and led him away, "you look like you can use a nice drink Mr. Mayor. M. Agreste has a bottle of Sherry in the kitchen. We'll let the superheroes take care of this."

The mayor nodded. "Yes, yes…at this point, the less I know the better…"

Once they left the room, Sabine gently pulled Queen Bee away from her. "Come with me." Together, they went into the office, and Queen Bee fell into a chair.

"It was horrifying! I heard they were akumatized, but I had no idea—I'm so scared!"

Sabine petted her hair, her voice shaking. "It's going to be alright Chloe. We're going to fix this." She then took out her phone and called Alya.

"_Yes, mom?_"

"Queen Bee is here, Tom took the Mayor to the kitchen. Marinette and Adrien were spotted over at the police station…and it seems they did some damage."

"We'll be right down."

"Now Chloe," Sabine said patiently after hanging up. "A lot has happened in the last few hours. What was the last thing you saw?"

Chloe wiped her eyes. "I saw Adrien getting—getting whipped! I couldn't—I haven't be able to even _think_ about watching since then. It hurt too much!"

"Yes, I know." Sabine agreed, gently moving her bangs from her face. "Well…we'll wait for the others to get here, and then we'll get you up to date, alright?"

At that moment, the sound of hydraulics came from the other side of the room. Rena Rouge, Carapace, and Hawkmoth emerged from the floor.

"Hawk…moth…?" She squeaked.

"Hello Chloe," he said, his voice much more calm than she'd ever heard from the villain.

"No…you're…" She leapt to her feet. "Gabriel!?"

He nodded.

"This whole time—you've—! I can't believe—!" She ran at him, angry and feral, beating on him with her fists. "Adrien trusted you! You let him down over and over and he swore to me that you were good! That you only had his best interests at heart! He never listened to me! But he insisted—!" Overwhelmed with emotion, she slid to the floor, only to be caught around the arm by Rena. "The whole time…you neglected him in favor of—of hurting people! Of taking advantage of people suffering!"

Hawkmoth just stared down at her.

"He's cried so many times because of you! And all you've done is lied! And now you—" She grit her teeth and spat at him. "You've turned him into a monster! A heartless killing machine!"

"Chloe…" Alya placated.

"What was this even for?!" She screamed. "You have fame! Wealth! Power! What were you even trying to do with the Miraculous!?"

Hawkmoth couldn't meet her eyes. "It's a long story…one we don't have time for right now."

"Actually, I'd really like to know too." Said Nino. "Chloe makes a great point. You always forced Adrien to stay home for his own safety, but you were the most dangerous thing in Paris. I know you put him in danger too. Besides Chat Noir." He frowned. "Hey, did you purposefully piss me off when I asked about his birthday party? Did you purposely set me up to be akumatized?!"

The brooch on Hawkmoth's chest burned with the anger in the room.

"Yeah! And you akumatized Adrien's bodyguard! The big gorilla threw Adrien off the side of the building!" Alya added.

Hawkmoth growled. "We're wasting time!"

"I'm not working with you until you explain yourself!" Chloe shrieked.

A very sharp pain, right to the heart, emanated from the brooch. Gabriel collapsed, ripping the brooch off and sending it clattering across the floor.

For a tense moment, he knelt on the floor, grasping at his chest and trying to catch his breath.

Sabine, who had been silently watching, stood up and stepped closer. "Gabriel?"

"The anger…" he moaned. "They must have done something else…I was just…suddenly overwhelmed with a lot of negative emotion. Not just from the room, but from the city."

Queen Bee shuttered. "They killed two police officers and the Minster of Interior. Others must have found them."

Rena gasped. "What?"

Queen Bee took a deep sigh and recounted everything that she had witnessed that evening at the police station. When she was done, everyone stood in stunned silence.

Gabriel, who had slightly recovered, slowly stood and picked up his Miraculous. "Using the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous together allows the user to make an ultimate wish. I wanted to bring my wife back. But…as I spoke with the Guardian, I found that trying to do so would have likely killed Adrien and I both in the process. Master Fu is taking care of the situation in exchange for the Butterfly and Peacock Miraculous." He pinned the brooch back on. "I was desperate and wrong. Is that enough for you?"

Chloe sniffed and wiped her cheeks. "For now."

Gabriel sighed as he paced the room. "Then…we have to confront them."

"Can't you just un-akumatize them?" Queen Bee asked.

"No. Making two akuma divides the control I have. They've taken my akuma from me. And I can't make anymore until I get them back."

"Then what do we do?" Asked Rena.

"The only thing we can do. We have to get the Ladybug Miraculous from them, purify them, and use the cure. That should bring back the officers and the Minister…but that will also bring back Salo."

They all sighed at that. It was wrong and unfair.

"But couldn't she twist the truth once she was back? There has to be another way!"

"No, this time, I think it will be impossible for her to get out of it. Her and Edward Savauge."

"I bet that's who they're going for next, if they haven't already." Said Rena. "What's our move?"

"We'll try to talk them down first," explained Gabriel. "And if that doesn't work, we'll just have to take the Miraculous by force."


	29. Succumbing

Man, I hate writing fight scenes.

Sorry this is late. Blame my boss for making me work on Christmas. :)

—

It neared midnight when the team finally tracked down the akumas. The rain persisted as a drizzle, enough to cast the lights in a haze. A news crew had spotted them on the Arc de Triomphe, and broadcasted the scene as an update, both from a van from below and a helicopter circling overhead.

The crowd of spectators that gathered at the base of the Arc was alarming.

Rena wanted to shout at them to run. Didn't they know the akuma were the most dangerous they'd ever had? But she stayed quiet, just as Hawkmoth had instructed. They waited on a nearby rooftop, watching from the distance, and the newscast on Carapaces' screen.

_"It is unknown what the goal of the akuma is at this time, but it seems that they are planning to hang something from the Arc."_

Indeed, it seemed that way, as Lady Lacrima continued to summon long steel cables with hooks at the end. She slid down them, and checked to make sure each was equal in length.

"What is she doing?" Carapace asked quietly.

"Look!" Queen Bee pointed on top of the Arc. "Adrien's up there."

"He's got something. I can't tell what."

"I'm almost afraid to find out." Said Hawkmoth. "There's not going to be any way for us to get up there but to climb the stairs."

"Or we can lure them over here…" Suggested Rena Rouge. "Let's just see what they're doing. Then we'll make our move."

"Um…" Started Chloe.  
"What's up?"

"I was just thinking…Alya, maybe you should stay back here while the rest of us go up."

"What?! Why?!"

"I was just thinking about the last time I saw them in person, back before this whole thing. And then I remembered the stupid trick that Lila pulled."

Rena frowned at that. "Yeah, and?"

"Well, you took Lila's side. I mean, I did too, but I wasn't friends with Marinette."

"I-! It was a mistake, Chloe! You don't think I've learned my lesson!?"

Chloe scoffed with a roll of her eyes, exasperated. "That's not what I'm saying at all. I'm saying…Marinette doesn't know how much work you've put into trying to save her. To her…you're still a traitor. She's likely to go for the kill."

"I gotcha," said Carapace. "I've got my shield, and Chloe's got her top to swing away, and Hawkmoth has a sword. Rena, you've just got your flute. You're the least protected."

Rena frowned, seeing reason, but not particularly liking it.

"She's terrifying." Chloe continued. "She wouldn't listen to a word I said. Neither would Adrien."

"Strategically speaking," added Hawkmoth. "It would be better if Rena stayed back so she could cover our retreat if something goes awry. But she won't be able to do that unless she has her flute. Grimalkin's cataclysm can damage our weapons."

Rena sighed loudly. "Then I don't see how this is going to work. If neither of them will listen, and Adrien can blow up our weapons, what do we do?"

"They didn't listen to Chloe," said Hawkmoth. "But I'm the one that gave them the akuma."

"And I took Adrien's side in the argument, so we're good," Carapace added. "Between the two of us, we might be able to talk them down."

"Are we even sure they have the Miraculous on them?"

"Even as an akuma, I can't imagine Marinette would leave her Miraculous behind. I believe Grimalkin's suit is almost the same as his Chat Noir costume. He should have pockets."

"Okay," began Nino. "If we have to...I can pin Marinette down with my shield, while Chloe freezes Adrien with her venom. It's not going to be easy, but I need some sort of plan before we go in. I'm not good at winging it."

"Sounds as good of a plan as any."

"Looks like they're ready." Rena pointed as the group watched as Lady Lacrima pulled all the cables back up. And then Grimalkin got to work doing something while she lowered herself down on a lip of the Arc.

"We need to get over there." Hawkmoth spoke softly. "Stick to the shadows and make your way up top. Adrien might be watching the stairs, so step lightly."

The team departed, while Rena remained back, not liking the situation one bit.

"Paris!" Lady Lacrima shouted, her voice echoing over all the traffic and thousands of voices.

It seemed like the world stood still to hear what she had to say.

"I'm disappointed in you." She began. That hurt more than it should have. The hero that everyone adored, respected, disappointed with them?

"Do we mean nothing to you? Are we just trophies for you to show off to the world? 'Here! Look at our wonderful heroes! They can do anything!'" She threw her arms open in a wide gesture. "'Ladybug and Chat Noir will handle everything! We don't need to do anything for them! They'll save themselves!'" Her voice wobbled with anger. "Well, we did. We saved ourselves, with a little help from the person we were fighting against the whole time! It seems that we had the wrong enemy! The man that creates distracting little minions that turn people into Ice Cream should have been the biggest problem with this city! But he's not!"

With a wave of her hand, Grimalkin heaved their project over the edge of the Arc, a cacophony of screams bursting forth at the reveal.

Bodies.

Eight bloody, mangled bodies, all hanging in an array of deranged marionette dolls. In the middle, a huge business man in a blood-soaked white tux.

"It's the parasites of the underbelly!" Lady Lacrima continued. "This city is controlled by the likes of men who consider themselves Gods! They know the worst of the worst, every dark detail that you try to bury! They feed off the cowardice of the feckless elite, pulling the strings and rewriting the rules! You were never safe! You never knew how awful it was!

"Many years ago, I made a promise that Chat and I would keep you safe." Lady Lacrima continued. "But Ladybug failed. She couldn't even stop Hawkmoth. So that is why I, Lady Lacrima, and Grimalkin have stepped up and did what no one else in this goddamn city had the brains to do! End things permanently!"

Someone wailed from below.

"Let this be a warning to anyone who thinks they can cross us. We offer no trial, we cannot hear begging. God has turned his face away from Paris, for he cannot bare to witness the Justice we demand!" She inhaled, trembling. Her voice was so raw and broken. "I'm tired!" She spat. "Tired of holding this city up on my shoulders! Tired of lying, of making flimsy excuses! Tired of having to do everything myself! I'm tired of being an object of affection instead of a human with emotions! I'm tired of pretending like everything is okay, that life just moves on, when the fact of the matter is, I can't. I'm done with this place. I'm done with entertaining the Pharisees and playing nice! I'm tired!"

"Then you should rest," a man's voice cut in.

Lady Lacrima leapt back up to the top of the arc to find Grimalkin glaring down their intruder.

Hawkmoth stood just at the other end by the stairs. He appeared alone, as Carapace and Queen Bee stood just out of sight. He rested his weight on his cane, and tried to play the role of a non-threatening business partner.

Neither of the Akuma bought it, as they both poised to strike, if anything went awry.

"What do you want?" Lady Lacrima asked, a bite in her tone.

"Just to talk."

She said nothing, allowing him to elaborate.

"Well, for one thing, I will be needing those akuma's back, you know. I can't make any more. And having them in use is exhausting me."

"You'll get them back in time, Hawkmoth. But we have work to be done."

"I can see that." He looked pointedly at the cables hanging over the edge. "I'm just worried about you."

"Worried?" She scoffed. "Since when have you ever been worried about us?"

Hawkmoth sighed. "I know. I know I don't have a right to be concerned, after all I did. But I am. Even more so now. This isn't like you both. You're good, and just."

"We _were_ good!" Lady Lacrima corrected, harshly. "But Salo took that away from us!"

Hawkmoth raised his hand and spoke softly. "You still are good. The akuma are just clouding your judgement right now. Just…give me the Miraculous, and we can fix all of this. Okay?"

Lady Lacrima shrieked at him, her voice breaking with the passion. "You don't want to help us! You're a liar!"

"Marinette—"

She gripped the side of her head as she continued wailing, then she hit herself in the temples over and over.

"Stop that!" Hawkmoth demanded.

"Stay away from us!"

"Just listen to me!"

Grimalkin, who had be semi-willing to hear Hawkmoth out, growled instead and ran at him, claws out.

Hawkmoth defended himself by drawing his sword. "Plan B!" He shouted.

Carapace then leapt from the stairwell and ran at Grimalkin, colliding his shield with his shoulder. "Sorry dude!"

Grimalkin was knocked off balance and rolled across the ground, and back onto his feet.

Carapace attempted to make a run at Lady Lacrima, to execute his plan, but Grimalkin was already on him again, and snagged him by the hood.

_Okay, changing plans_. Carapace thought, whirling around to hit Grimalkin with his shield. _Once we do Miraculous Cure, this should fix anything I do to hurt him… _Still, it was painful to hit his best friend.

Meanwhile, Hawkmoth had darted around to go for Lady Lacrima, as Queen Bee attacked from the rear. Lady Lacrima took her whip with one hand and summoned a shield in the other. She threw the shield up to block Hawkmoth's incoming swing, and used the whip to snag Queen Bee by the ankle, and pull her to the ground.

"You're with them!?" she shouted at Hawkmoth, accusingly. "I thought you wanted to help us! But you—you just want to make us disappear! Erase the failures!"

Queen Bee had regained her footing, only to be bashed by the shield and sent sprawling again. Lady Lacrima focused her efforts on Hawkmoth, deflecting his blows and attempting to disarm him by snapping the whip at his hand.

"We're all trying to help you, Marinette!" Hawkmoth shouted at her. "There's no one against you!"

"**That's not my name!**" She shrieked, as more black lines drew under her mask. "That's not my name! Marinette was a coward and a liar! She couldn't even find the nerve to talk to the boy she loved! I don't want to be her anymore!"

"Marinette is wonderful!" Hawkmoth argued right back, "she's smart, and creative, and kind! Why wouldn't you want to be her!?"

Lady Lacrima heard Queen Bee's exclamation of "venom!" from behind her.

Faster than Hawkmoth could comprehend, she snapped her whip out to grab his wrist, and yanked him right into her shield, stunning him. Then she dismissed the shield and turned around.

Queen Bee was _almost_ about to sting her, and Lady Lacrima only had to redirect her forward momentum onwards, right into Hawkmoth.

He froze, stung by the venom, and Queen Bee was all alone in the fight, and only had five minutes left.

Carapace hadn't faired much better with Grimalkin. Each swipe of the claws against the shield sounded like nails on a chalkboard, and made his skin crawl.

The worst part of it all was that Adrien was just not speaking at all. He snarled and growled and frothed from the mouth. But no matter how hard he tried, Carapace could not get a word from his best friend.

"Come on dude! We don't have to fight! You need help! Please!"

But Grimalkin grew tired of all of his attacks being blocked. He brought his hand back and clenched it into a fist, pulsating with energy.

Carapace watched in horror as his shield disintegrated in his hand. With only one trick left up his sleeve, he called "Shell—" before being body slammed in the ground.

Grimalkin ripped the bracelet off his arm and flung it away from him.

"Adrien!" Nino shouted in fear.

As Grimalkin stared back at him, the narrow slits in his eyes dilating until his eyes were mostly black. His ears laid flat on his head, and he backed away shamefully.

"Hey, hey dude…come on man…you didn't know."

Grimalkin started crying, a sensation that was not familiar to his akumatized form.

"I'm not mad, I promise. It's going to be alright…just hand over the Miraculous and we'll get you to a hospital, okay?"

Grimalkin let out at mournful wail, and continued to back away.

Rena Rouge watched the fight, biting her nails. Once Hawkmoth was frozen, she prepared her flute for the worst.

Then Nino's transformation went out, and she jumped into action. The illusion would either cause Lady Lacrima and Grimalkin to flee, or allow her teammates to escape.

Lady Lacrima stood, one foot pressing on Hawkmoth's chest. "You never deserved that Miraculous," she said to Queen Bee. "You don't know how to use it, and even your best attempts end in failure. Why do you think I never called on you for help?"

"You said you were trying to keep me safe, because Hawkmoth knew my identity…"

"It's a lot nicer than calling you a failure and an embarrassment, hmm?"

If Chloe was going to respond to that, she didn't get the chance. Ryuko and Viperion stepped in between them, protecting Queen Bee.

Lady Lacrima let out a gasp of horror as she glanced around the arc.

King Monkey, Pegasus, Mayura, and Bunnyx had all appeared as backup.

Lady Lacrima panicked, but only for a moment, because of one key detail. That being that Rena Rouge was not among the group. She looked over to see Grimalkin standing awkwardly over Nino, unsure of what to do.

"Rena Rouge is here." She told him. "I'll find her. Keep an eye on these nuisances."

Grimalkin nodded in acknowledgement, not taking his eyes off Nino.

Lady Lacrima scanned the area, looking across the Place Charles de Gaulle. It was far too dark to spot her from the arc, especially with the light of the helicopter on them.

Oh, but the helicopter would work for her.

Summoning another steel cable and a grappling hook, she hooked a foot of the helicopter, ran, and leapt off the arc and out of the spotlight.

In the dark haze of the city, Lady Lacrima soared over to the nearest building, and started searching for the color orange.

"You've used your power!" She shouted. "You've only got five minutes left! Then what will you do?! You'll be completely defenseless! It's only a matter of time Alya!"

Alya had been picked as the first auxiliary member for a reason. Marinette trusted her. She was smart and passionate about doing a good job.

And she knew when to run and fight another day.

Silently, she slunk from her place on a roof to a fire escape, then released her transformation. She knew the light would likely draw Lady Lacrima's attention, so she leapt down the ladder and tried to get down into the alley as soon as possible.

"You can't hide from me!" Lady Lacrima's voice teased from above.

Some tenants of the building thankfully left a few bags of garbage out on the escape and Alya was quick to dive under them.

"Alya!" Lady Lacrima screamed. "Come out and face me! Face judgement for your neglect and betrayal!"

But Alya just laid still, her heart hammering in her chest, threatening to give her away.

The hunt was over as soon as it began. A loud yowl caught Lady Lacrima's attention, and brought her gaze back to the Arc.

Chloe's transformation had worn off, and with it, her paralyzing venom. Hawkmoth had recovered, and held Grimalkin in a headlock, his arm behind his back.

Horrified, Lady Lacrima took her cable and returned to the battlefield.

"Get the Miraculous!" Hawkmoth screamed at Nino.

"I'm sorry dude! But this is for your own good!" Nino unzipped his pocket and reached his hand in.

Only to be body slammed by Lady Lacrima. She summoned a knife, and pointed it at Hawkmoth. "Let him go!"

"Marinette, please…just listen…"

"I'm only giving you a warning because you're the only person that cared enough to save us! Now let him go! Or I'll jam this in your eye!"

"I can't—"

At his protest, she stabbed the knife into his shoulder, forcing him to drop Grimalkin and cry out in pain.

Lady Lacrima gathered Grimalkin, and in a flash, disappeared from the rooftop.

Chloe and Nino came to Hawkmoth's assistance immediately.

"Don't—Don't pull the knife out," Hawkmoth advised. "It'll bleed worse."

"Oh god…" Nino moaned, unsure of what to do. His hands fretted, though didn't touch him.

Chloe just rested her hand on his good shoulder, offering him comfort.

"Get…get your Miraculous back. The police will be up here at any second…"

"R-right," he agreed, scrambling off to the corner.

Just as Nino recovered his bracelet and called his transformation back on, a fleet of police officers stormed the roof. Carapace looked up to the helicopter, his gut sinking. His identity had probably been compromised too. And with the amount of police surrounding them, there was no way they were letting Hawkmoth get out of this.

And Alya…where was she? He could only hope she was safe.

Setting his fears aside, he pushed through the crowd and made his way back to Hawkmoth. Then he used his shield to bash apart the handcuffs they had already put on his wrists.

"What are you doing, kid?!"

"This man is a hero! He saved Ladybug and Chat Noir!"

"Yeah, and he turned them into monsters too!" The officer shot back. "Do you know how many people are dead because of those akuma?! Because we don't! We haven't found them all!"

"What do you expect?!" Carapace shrieked back, "no one else could find them! The second Hawkmoth could reach them, he took the chance to give them powers so they could get out! They're hurt and angry and scared! Why the hell to you think we're here!? To have a tea party!?"

"Carapace…" Hawkmoth tried to placate by grabbing his wrist.

"No! No, everyone needs to hear this! I just fought my best friend, okay!? He's confused and in pain…and so lost! We need everyone on deck to help bring them in, and that includes Hawkmoth!" He gestured to man. "He's the one who lasted the longest against them! Ladybug—er, Lady Lacrima gave him mercy! He's the only one they're willing to listen too!"

Hawkmoth gripped his wrist harder. "No. This plan failed. We should have never approached them like this."

"Come on, man, what else were we supposed to do?"

"I have another idea. I just…we need to regroup."

"We will," said Chloe. "After you get stitches."

He stood on shaky legs. "I'll be fine. Carapace, go find Rena. Chloe, recharge and suit up. We'll meet up back home."

—

Lady Lacrima cried furiously as she swung her and Grimalkin away from the fight. She held him tightly to her as they moved, his breath pulling slowly. That low grating breath that had plagued her since the moment they were akumatized.

It didn't take long to find cover in a hidden rooftop alcove. It was dark and out of the rain, and she gathered him close to her chest.

"I never learn, do I?" She sobbed. "I keep leaving you behind…I'm so so sorry."

A quiet purr rumbled through his throat as a soft smile graced his features. His breathing was coming smoother now, as he recovered from the fight.

"I'm not trying to drag you along on my revenge plot, but—"

He nuzzled her cheek with his nose, assuring her it was alright with him.

"Are you sure? I…we only have one more person to pay back, but I think you'll agree with me…they won't put up a fight."

His red eyes glanced up at her, gleaming with malicious intent.

"Oh kitty," she purred, caressing his hair. "Get your strength back, and then we'll go. And when we're done," she pecked his lips, "We'll rest."

—

Lila Rossi was grounded.

Not that she could really blame her mom, what with getting kidnapped and almost dying. Lila supposed it was fair. Besides, having a phone, internet, and TV would only allow for her to watch people ridicule her.

And she wasn't really fond of that idea.

So she slept, completely and utterly unaware that Marinette and Adrien were akumatized, and on a rampage.

That is, until her window shattered.

She jolted to wakefulness as glass rained down on her.

"Wha—?" Was all she was able to utter, before sharp claws grabbed her ponytail and yanked her out of bed.

Two people were in the room, one of them a woman who was locking her bedroom door.

"Lila Rossi. Oh, you have no idea how good it feels to be here right now."

"Who—Who are you?" Lila sobbed in fear.

Grimalkin tilted her head to face him, getting a clear shot of his red feline eyes and glistening fangs.

"Us? We're your worst nightmare." A glimmer appeared in her hand, shortly replaced by a pair of clamps. "We're the consequences of your actions."

"My…actions?"

"You have a nasty lying habit, Lila. It's even in your name."

Lila grasped at the hand holding her. "I made a mistake! No ones perfect! My classmates hate me, I'm grounded for life, and I'm drowning in guilt! And I'm sure there's going to be a hell of lawsuits coming my way! What else do I have to endure!?"

Lady Lacrima snapped the clamps a few times, to test them. "Oh, I want you to go though all of that still…but we're going to make sure you can't weasel your way out of any of it."

Lila tried to back away, though Grimalkin held her tight.

Lila gasped, finally realizing who she was looking at. "Marinette? Adrien?!"

"My, you're even dumber than I thought. Pity. Now stay still, this will only hurt a lot."

—

"Lila! Lila answer me! Open this door!" Called her mother from the other side.

Her fingers trembled as she turned the lock.

The door swung open and Mrs. Rossi gasped in horror. "Darling! Are you alright?! You're covered in blood! What happened!?"

"…ey…am…ey…ough…me…ongue…"

"What? What are you saying!?"

Lila opened her mouth, blood rushing down her jaw.

Her tongue was gone.

—

Some dozen blocks away, Lady Lacrima and Grimalkin landed on an old familiar balcony.

"Hawkmoth said my parents are with your father at his mansion." She provided. "Which should give us a little time to hide out here before they come looking."

Grimalkin blinked a few times, his eyelids growing heavy.

She pulled on the hatch, but it didn't budge. "Locked…wait, I can get us in."

Grimalkin watched as she swung over the side of the balcony, and pushed on a little window that was cracked open. It gave way, and she weaseled her way in.

In seconds, the lock flicked and the hatch popped open. "Please come in, kitty cat."

With a purr, Grimalkin obliged, and slunk in the window, forgoing the ladder to just flop on the bed. The softness of the comforter and warmth of the blankets only enhanced his purring as he nuzzled the blankets.

"Hey! You're getting the sheets all bloody and wet!" Lady Lacrima scolded.

Grimalkin hunched his shoulders in shame.

"Oh, it's not that big of a deal, love. Just wait here a second, alright?"

He nodded to her, politely sitting on the edge of the bed.

She jumped down into her main room, noting that it had been ransacked of valuables and personal belongings.

But the towels by her sink were still there, and so she snatched them up and got to work drying her cat. She placed the towel on his head and tussled it gently, like Kelly had done, then she rubbed at his cheeks.

"There's my good boy, he was hiding under all that blood."

He grinned.

She finished him off by buffing the towel over his suit.

When she took a fresh towel to clean herself, he stopped her and returned the favor, gently cleaning her face. The black marks wouldn't disappear, but that was alright.

Once she was clean, he placed a teasing lick on her cheekbone.

"Oh you're a naughty kitty!" She teased back. Then tackled him to the bed.

They tumbled around, playing roughly, before Grimalkin let out a long yawn…which proceeded to make Lady Lacrima yawn.

They both settled down, Grimalkin nuzzling into her chest as she wrapped her arms around him. "Good night my sweet prince."

He purred in response.


	30. Rising

I offer no excuses.

—

The day went on, the sun hiding behind November clouds. Lady Lacrima and Grimalkin slept the day away, nestled in their bed. The third floor kept nice and warm despite the nip in the air. As if the world knew they were resting, things seemed quiet. No construction, no endless honking, just peace.

Just before sunset, Grimalkin roused with a rumbling stomach. Exhaustion fogged his brain, and all he registered around him were the cloud-like bed and the angel upon it. He pressed himself further against her, his purr rolling in his chest.

And then the rumble of his stomach got in the way.

He sat up, noting the time on the clock above her bed. 4:30 pm.

Lady Lacrima groaned softly, disturbed by his movement.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead and urged her back to sleep.

Then he weaseled his way out of the blankets and snuck downstairs, his stomach being his guide. The air was stale and the blinds were all shut, making the house dark. Despite sitting empty for so long, the house still retained the sweet smells of the bakery, of sugars and spices. Surely, the Dupain-Cheng's kept their kitchen well stocked.

Right?

Disappointment took him as he found a barren fridge. There were sauces and dressings and jams. But nothing to make a meal. No fruits or veggies, no milk, and no meat.

He riffled through the pantry, finding spices, and mixes for various dishes.

The only thing he found that was edible by itself, was a can of baked beans.

He plopped it on the table and sat at the high chair, head resting in his hand.

He supposed he could eat that. Or...

There was a corner store about a block down the way. He and Ladybug would often stop there for sodas and snacks during long patrols.

The owner was a kind old man, who was always happy to see them. Surely, he wouldn't turn him away.

But just in case, it was probably smart to take a disguise. Grimalkin rifled through the apartment, eventually finding a coat closet. Tom's rain coat was huge on him, but did the job of covering his suit. He struggled to tie the waist band, but eventually got it to stay closed. Then he found a hat and a pair of sunglasses. Of course people would notice the mask, but it would be better if they couldn't see his blood red eyes.

His stomach growled again, and he hissed right back at it. He was working on it!

Now all he needed was money. The state of the apartment made him wonder if thieves had pilfered through their belongings already, but some things were still in place. Like the TV. There was probably some spare change around here somewhere, right? His first guess was that they forgot to clear the register before they left.

And what luck he had. He felt a little guilty for destroying the register drawer to get it open, but he was far too hungry to pay too much thought to it. He stuffed some bills into his pocket, and then returned upstairs.

Back in Marinette's room, Lady Lacrima was still sleeping peacefully. He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead and climbed up the ladder to the balcony.

Her cable with grappling hook that got them up to the balcony was still hooked to the railing, and he used it to ease himself down to the street.

Once his feet touched the sidewalk, dread fell on him like a blanket. What if something happened to his lady while he was gone? What if Hawkmoth and Carapace and Queen Bee attacked him and she lost him? He looked back up to the balcony with a whimper, but his stomach growled back.

He was beginning to feel more nauseous than hungry, but figured food would help with that. The sooner he went, the sooner he could return.

So, with great reluctance, he headed down the street.

As he walked, he felt the stares of people watching him walk. Surely they all knew what he was guilty of. He was a murderer, not a hero.

A failure.

He shouldn't be walking the streets. He should be locked up. He wasn't safe.

But before he could beat himself up anymore, he arrived at the grocer. Down a stairwell plastered with flyers, he pulled the coat a little tighter and popped his collar.

The door chimed with his entrance, prompting a voice to call from the other side of the store, "Guten Abend!" which startled him.

He didn't reply, not that he could.

His senses were so heightened in this state, despite being an akuma. He was able to map out the room in just a glance. The owner of the store, the name that escaped him now, was in the aisle with the alcohol, stocking shelves. There was another customer by the bread. Other than that, the store was empty. Perfect.

He just tried to quietly and inconspicuously walk to the refrigerator to get a bottle of milk. Should he have grabbed a basket? How much was he getting? How much did he have money for? Probably not much, since he only had one arm to carry it all back with.

The door chimed again, a group of college aged boys coming in. Grimalkin paid them little mind, only noticing that they had separated, one staying by the door.

As he closed the fridge door with his hip, something pressed into his back.

"Don't move." A young man's voice warned.

Did they find out where he was? Were they with the police? He didn't really want to fight anymore. He just wanted food!

"Hands in the air! Where I can see them!" Came a shout from a few rows down.

Grimalkin relaxed slightly. They weren't here for him. But he'd be damned if he'd let them leave.

Chat Noir was alive deep down inside…somewhere.

He quickly turned and nailed the guy behind him in the head with the glass bottle, shattering it on impact.

"—the hell!?"

Grimalkin slunk behind some shelves, making his way over to where the leader was holding up the owner of the store.

"Please please, I give you money in register, ja? No need for knife, ja?"

Indeed the leader had a knife in his hand, and the collar of the owner in the other. "Shut up, old man!" He shouted. He looked frantic. "Sound off!"

"Door's blocked!"

"I've got a weird looking dude over here."

Then where there should have been a third voice, there was silence.

"Hey Jean! What's going on over there?!"

Still no response.

"I swear to God you better not be goofing around over there!"

Grimalkin snuck closer, keeping his steps light. The owner noticed him and held back a gasp.

Then he pounced, knocking the leader to the ground, and subsequently the owner of the store. Grimalkin yanked the robber away from him, allowing the owner to run behind the counter and call the police.

"Who the hell are you!?"

Grimalkin took off the sunglasses, and bared his fangs.

The robber looked like he was about to piss himself.

Not wasting a second, Grimalkin swooped in and grabbed the man's arm with the knife, and cranked it backwards, against the way it was supposed to fold, and dislocated the elbow.

A second man, who had been holding up the other customer, ran out of his aisle, also holding a knife. At the sight of Grimalkin, he dropped it on the ground, kicked it away from him, and fell to his knees with his hands behind his head.

The last man, who was standing guard at the door, peered around the corner, saw what had happened, and attempted to flee. But Grimalkin dashed to him and grabbed his ankle just as he cleared the doorway. He dragged him back in, as the man took desperate hold of the the door frame.

"No no! Please! I'm sorry! Don't hurt me!"

With a grunt, Grimalkin suplexed him into the ground next to his leader. Then he frisked him while he laid groaning on his back, found a knife, and destroyed it.

Breathing became hard again, though he hadn't done much, for his enhanced abilities at least. He stood in the middle of the grocer, panting while his knees trembled.

"Yes, a customer has disarmed them. Three are injured." Said the owner of the store.

So much for being inconspicuous…

With a little whine, Grimalkin crawled back to where he smashed the milk bottle, finding a white puddle taking up most of the floor. He'd have to run soon, but it was such a waste…Maybe it was guilt. Maybe it was animal tendencies, or even his own hunger clouding his mind, but he crouched and began to lap up the milk on the floor with his tongue.

An arm linked with his and pulled him away. "Oh Chat Noir, you shouldn't drink that. The floor is dirty…"

Grimalkin whined, and met the eyes of the stranger.

No, not a stranger. A tall man, wearing a gray and pink suit with a hat. Mr. Ramier. "Thank you for stopping those muggers, even though you're in no condition to do so."

Grimalkin wanted to hiss and pull away and hide, but the pigeon man had always been kind to him. Unless he was akumatized, and even then, it was a relief to be fighting him.

"Come along now, the police will be here any minute."

Grimalkin whined again and tried to pull away, with little effort.

"Mr. Kemper wants you to hide in the back room. No doubt they're looking for you!"

He…wanted him to hide? That was unexpected, but not unwelcome. Grimalkin followed Mr. Ramier to the back room that Mr. Kemper was gesturing to.

"Wait here, okay?" Then he almost closed the door, letting the light in a crack.

Sitting in the dark, Grimalkin pondered the circumstance. Alya, Hawkmoth, Chloe, and…and Nino…they were all trying to get the Miraculous from him. But Mr. Ramier wasn't. He was trying to hide him from the police. Who was the bad guy? Wasn't he? He was an akuma after all.

All this thinking gave him a headache. The haze from hunger and akumatization was thick on his brain, making it nearly impossible to think straight or logically. That's why he had his lady. She had the plans, the itinerary…he just followed her lead.

The door rang, and many voices entered.

"Thank you for coming so quickly!" Mr. Kemper called out.

"You said a civilian incapacitated these men? Where are they now?"

"Oh they left as soon as it was over. Didn't stick around for gratitude."

The man chuckled. "Another vigilante. Unbelievable."

"Are there a lot?"

"You have no idea. Ever since Ladybug and Chat Noir were captured, there's been people walking pickpockets down to the station _daily_. It's hard telling them to stop. Ah well. This guy did a number on them."

A EMT called over from one side of the room. "He'll be alright, just concussed."

Grimalkin waited for the police to clean up, listening as the EMTs took care of the injured robbers.

Then, when he was afraid his rumbling stomach would give him away, Mr. Kemper opened the door. "You can come out now. They've gone."

Skittish, Grimalkin slunk out of the store room and stood awkwardly beside the counter.

Mr. Ramier appeared with a basket. Milk, eggs, sausage links, all sorts of foods. Even a bottle of wine.

Grimalkin licked his lips.

"Thank you for saving us, Chat Noir!" Said Mr. Kemper. "I told Mr. Ramier, you know, 'he is my best customer!' Didn't feel the same without you coming in here every week!"

Grimalkin just slowly blinked.

"We take care of each other," he assured. "You take care of the robbers, I take care of you! All of this, on me! Ja?" He gestured to the basket.

Grimalkin's lip twitched a sort of half-smile before nodding meekly.

"That's a good boy! You're so hungry, right Mr. Noir? I know you're hurting…so please take care of yourself and your Lady Love? For me please?"

Grimalkin nodded again.

"Do you need help carrying this?" Mr. Ramier offered, seeing his arm trapped inside his coat.

Chat looked at the three bags of groceries and humbly nodded.

"Ah, here, don't want your ears to give you away." He plopped his hat on his head.

With a stilted nod of gratitude, Grimalkin took one of the bags on the counter and headed back out into the street.

Mr. Ramier walked beside him, street side, to help hide him.

"You know what they're saying about you on the news right?" The man finally asked.

Grimalkin glanced up at him, saying nothing.

"They said you and Ladybug murdered 27 people."

Was that right? Why did it feel like more?

"But I'm not afraid of you. I don't know if anyone who knows you really is. I know you're just trying to protect yourselves."

Grimalkin huffed, and turned the corner by the bakery.

"Oh, here?"

Grimalkin held a finger to his lips, demanding the man to stay silent.

"Oh of course, I won't tell a soul. But uh…how do you plan to get this all up there?"

Grimalkin looked up to the balcony, an idea forming in his head. He dropped his bag to the sidewalk, and then climbed up the rope to the top (which was a feat with only one arm.) Once at the top, he dislodged the grappling hook and lowered it to the ground, so Mr. Ramier could drape the handles on the hooks, before raising it up again.

Mr. Ramier gave him a wave and headed back down the street without a word.

He pulled the groceries up to the balcony, and then fell into the chair, breathing hard. His back ached.

"Kitty?" A sleepy voice spoke from the trap door.

Grimalkin flopped onto the floor and scooted over to her.

Lady Lacrima caught his face with her hands, petting him gently. "Where did you go? I woke up and you were gone!"

He whined slightly, blinking his kitten eyes up at her.

"Oh, you brought us food? Did anyone see you?"

He cooed.

"Mr. Ramier? I suppose that's not the worst person to catch you."

He brought his quarry over and helped her bring it inside and down to the kitchen.

"My my, what a wonderful spread you got us, kitty! Eggs, milk, ham, cheese…I think we could make some omelets with this. Does that sound yummy?"

His stomach answered for him.

She smiled in return, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "Then wash up, and you can help me cook."

—

About 15 minutes later, they were huddled together on the chair on the balcony, a blanket on their laps and a shared plate between them. Lady Lacrima held it so he could eat.

The faintest bit of sunset remained, slowly disappearing over the horizon, casting the sky into lush pinks and purples.

"We can't continue like this." She decided.

He hummed at her, resting his head on top of hers.

"I can't allow you to be like this anymore. You…" her mind flashed back to the closet. To the deep breathing, the exhaustion, watching him collapse on the floor… "We're not getting any better. Hawkmoth never intended for us to stay transformed this long." She looked at her hand, the black material had turned red, and no amount of water would wash it clean. "I wonder…are we already dead? Is spite and wrath controlling our bodies like a puppeteer?"

Of course, Grimalkin didn't answer. The parts of him that held wisdom and conversation laid dormant. So she was forced to think this through alone.

A yawn pulled from her, as the bed below them called out to her. "I'm still tired," she confessed.

He took the empty plate from her hands and set it on the floor, then stood, holding his hand out for her. Together, they dropped back down into the room, and snuggled into the blankets.

"Kitty…I don't know what happens next…but I love you."

He purred and nuzzled his nose against her cheek before kissing her lips. _I love you too,_ was what he said.

—

It was Tom who suggested going to the bakery.

"They wouldn't go there!" Alya protested, "Marinette would know that's the first place we'd look!"

"Well, did we?" He countered back. "I know my daughter. When she's feeling scared or hurt, she wants to be home. And she wants a hug from her mama and papa."

Gabriel sat nearby, wearing an old t-shirt while his arm rested in a sling. "I suppose that's what children should do. When they're scared, they want their parents."

"Then why didn't Adrien come here?" Alya snarked back.

Gabriel knew the real answer to that question, but instead stated, "One, Hawkmoth told them that we were all here, and two, he's following Marinette's lead."

"So, what do you suggest we do?" Asked Alya. "Ambush them there?"

"Nope." He looked at Tom and Sabine. "We're taking a different route this time."

—

The Gorilla drove Gabriel, Tom, Sabine, Alya, and Nino over to the bakery, while Chloe stayed at the Mansion with her father. And even for the plan, Alya and Nino were just there for back up.

The real MVPs were the parents. And even then, Gabriel was going to be quiet.

After Tom unlocked the gate, Gorilla stood guard at the door. Sabine went up the stairs first, keeping her steps light. When she found the apartment empty, she urged them all up. There were groceries on the counter, and a recently used pan on the stove.

With a swallow, Tom and Sabine pushed up the trapdoor to Marinette's room.

The room was dark, as the blinds were closed, but there was a large form on the bed.

As Tom opened the trap door all the way, it tapped against the floor. The form in the bed shifted and a sleepy pair of red eyes peered over the rail.

Sabine held her breath as Tom's hand squeezed her shoulder.

Grimalkin blinked a few times, as he realized what he was seeing. He sat up fully, and let the blanket fall off of him. Then he crawled over the mattress and crept down the stairs, his tail lashing. Not once did he bare his teeth, but he didn't appear welcoming either.

Sabine tried to put him at ease. "Hi Sweetie," she said softly.

Grimalkin's ears went back and his eyes dilated.

"Hmm…Kitty?" Lady Lacrima's voice spoke from the bed. She sat up, and immediately made eye contact with her mother.

There was a tense silence for only a moment as Sabine stared at her, tears gathering in her eyes. "My baby…" she choked out.

Lady Lacrima swallowed harshly, and looked to Grimalkin, who was watching her carefully.

She got out of bed, coming down the ladder to stand next to him. Then they just stared.

Tom took a step closer. "My beautiful little girl…won't you let me hug you?"

She hesitated, clenching and unclenching her fist. Finally, she asked, "you…couldn't do anything?"

Sabine let out a sob. "We did everything we could! You know the second we found out where you were, we would have gone in person to save you! Please believe me Marinette! We love you so much!"

Lady Lacrima could not find fault in her parents. What influence did bakers have?

But she spotted Gabriel, who was hiding behind them. Her eyes narrowed as she stared at him. "And what about you?"

Gabriel opened his mouth, and then shut it with a trembling lip as Grimalkin _snarled_ at him.

What a thin rope to tread.

"Honey…Mr. Agreste has also worked really hard to find you. He almost paid a ransom to get Adrien back, remember? He only didn't because Adrien asked him not to. Don't be mad at him…"

Grimalkin crept closer, staying on his knuckles, and each step halting, until he was right in front of Tom. Who was, despite his teddy-bear disposition, the biggest threat in the room.

Tom gave him a soft smile, and simply scooped him up in a hug, and held him in a cradle. "There there, just relax."

Tom felt the way he tensed, his breathing becoming erratic, and his pulse quickening. Like a cat that was about to bolt.

"Shh, I gotcha." He assured.

Gabriel stood by, and began to pet his hair. "It's alright, son. You're safe now."

Grimalkin melted. His eyelids grew heavy as a loud purr cut through the tension of the room.

Sabine watched the interaction fondly, before turning her eyes back to her daughter. Lady Lacrima still stood back, watching from the corner of the room. Sabine walked to her slowly, holding out her hands in a comforting way.

Lady Lacrima watched her approach, but didn't run. She didn't want to run.

Sabine's hand rested on her cheek, and swiped across the black lines.

"They're stains." Lady Lacrima explained. "They won't come off."

"Oh, I see."

Lady Lacrima swallowed and admitted out loud, because it felt too much like a sin not too, "we killed 34 people."

"Yeah," Sabine nodded. No berating, but no condoning. Just acknowledgement.

"I thought…it was supposed to make me feel better. Hurting those that hurt me. But…I just feel worse. I'm sorry, maman…"

Sabine kissed her cheek. "My precious baby girl…I am so so proud of you. You're brave, and smart, and kind and so creative!" Her voice was warm and soothing, in the way that a mother's was. "You're my hero, and I love you so much!"

Lady Lacrima exhaled with relief and slumped against her mother. "I'm so tired."

"I bet you are. We'll get you to a hospital, and then you can rest. No more secrets, no more hiding…just healing and love. Is that alright with you?"

Lady Lacrima looked back over to Grimalkin who appeared to be almost asleep in Tom's arms. "And him?"

"You'll be together. Through all of it. Right, Gabriel?"

Gabriel didn't even pause from stroking Adrien's head. "Of course. Every second of every day, you'll be together."

Wordlessly, she went to her kitty, touching his cheek gently. "I guess the jig is up, love."

He nuzzled his face against her hand, purring louder, and she couldn't help but smile broader. Then she went to his pocket and took out the Ladybug earrings.

"Here," she put them in her mom's hands.

Sabine nodded to her in reassurance, and put the earrings in.

In a pink flash, a little red sprite appeared, looking panicked. She met Sabine's gaze with confusion and fear. "Where's…?"

"Tikki." Lady Lacrima said softly.

Tikki whirled around to face her, a gasp ripping from the being violently. "Marinette!"

Lady Lacrima looked away, hugging herself. "I…I didn't want you to see me like this. But I know it's for my own good that you do."

"Oh Marinette!" Tikki wailed. "You're…you're hurt…and an akuma?"

She nodded.

"What…how long have I been dormant?"

Lady Lacrima gained another stripe under her eye before saying, "a little less than two months. We were captured, and she took our Miraculous…"

"And then she…hurt you?"

"Yeah."

"I—I…." Tikki tried to find the words, but ended up dissolving into sobs as she nuzzled her cheek. "I'm so so sorry Marinette…"

"It's not your fault, Tikki."

"If the earrings had fallen off or if you took them off without denouncing me, I could have been active and saved you!" Another thought occurred to her. "Where's Chat? Where's Plagg?"

"Plagg's still dormant. And Adrien's right over there." She gestured to Tom.

Tikki flitted over to him, and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Everything's going to be okay now."

Grimalkin furrowed his brows at her, but didn't respond.

Tikki came back to Marinette.

"I know you've seen her, but you've never formally met. Tikki, this is my mother."

"A pleasure," Sabine smiled.

"Tikki is what allows me to turn into Ladybug. To put on the suit, all you have to do is say, 'Tikki, spots on.'"

"Tikki, spots on?"

In a whirl of pink, Sabine's clothes changed from her simple white Cheongsam, to a red and black robe, that tied at the waist like a ruqun. She wore black leggings and black flats that were visible under the tails of the robe. A silk mask tied securely around her face.

"You look lovely, darling." Tom complimented.

"Oh you!"

Lady Lacrima couldn't help but smile. "All you have to do is capture the akuma with the yo-yo, you do that by drawing your finger down the middle."

"Oh yes, I remember seeing you do it. Then I just fling it at them?"

"Yep, the yo-yo will catch and purify. Then you let them go."

"And how do I cast the cure?"

Lady Lacrima hesitated, her fingers curling into fists.

Gabriel came over a rested a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Her body is at the morgue. If the cure brings her back, she'll be in police custody. There's absolutely no way she's getting away."

She screwed up her lip, still thinking it through.

"It's for the best, Ladybug. No one will hurt you ever again, alright?"

She swallowed. "To cast cure without a Lucky Charm, all you do is toss the yo-yo up in the air and call 'Miraculous Ladybug' and it will activate. To detransform, say 'spots off'. Pretty simple."

Sabine patted her cheek. "Only because the akuma is being so understanding."

"Let's hold off on this for just a moment," suggested Gabriel. "Let's call an ambulance and have them here when their transformation drops."

Sabine and Tom agreed.

Gabriel took out his phone and headed back down into the apartment to make the call.

"I'm…I'm scared. Doesn't Paris hate us now?"

"No no, darling. They never stopped loving you."

"Even after this?" She gestured to her bloodstained suit.

"That's why the cure is a good idea. Yes, we're all upset that Sa—er…that woman will be alive again, but there's some people that got caught up in the violence that didn't deserve it. Police officers, blackmail victims…"

Lady Lacrima nodded in understanding, though she tightened her fists. "I did what I had to."

"And now everything is going to be okay. I promise…I can't promise it'll be okay right away, but it will someday. I swear."

Gabriel returned. "The police are outside. It seems that our car was spotted by the paparazzi. An ambulance is on the way."

Nerves built up in her. "Will they yell at me?"

"There will probably be shouting, but you don't listen to them."

"With any luck," said Gabriel. "You'll be asleep before you even get that far."

Lady Lacrima went back over to her partner, smiling at him as he continued to lazily purr. "We probably won't remember these last few days. And…I'd honestly rather forget, but…we must remember to thank Kelly and Jillian, the Cesaires, and Mr. Ramier. Promise that we'll remember to thank them?"

He chirped at her.

There was a clamber of footsteps before two EMTs peeked their heads into the room. "We have our stretchers down in the bakery, whenever you're ready."

Lady Lacrima cupped Grimalkin's face. "Ready, my love?"

He raised a claw to her neck, before nodding. Then he broke her collar with his claw and released her akuma before doing the same with himself.

Sabine caught the two rogue butterflies with one swipe, and released them to fly away. "Bye bye little butterflies." Then with a sigh, she tossed the yo-yo up in the air. "Miraculous Ladybug!"

The healing light exploded, rushing through the room, removing the suits from Adrien and Marinette and healing Gabriel's shoulder before disappearing out into Paris.

The ring that was in Grimalkin's pocket dropped on the floor, and Gabriel was quick to grab it and put it in his pocket.

Marinette remained standing, though she leaned heavily on her father for support.

Adrien's eyes were almost open, as the slow cello-like breathing returned. In the absence of the suit, his wounds immediately started bleeding again.

"Let's hurry," Gabriel urged, reaching to carry Marinette.

"I can walk," she said briskly, not taking her eyes off Adrien. Though the blood oozing down her back said otherwise.

In the apartment, she didn't even take notice of Alya and Nino before following her father down into the bakery.

An EMT rushed to her and tried to coax her over to a stretcher.

"No, I need to be with him!"

"He's alright now, Ladybug. You need to lay down."

"No! He needs me!" She shoved the man way from her, weakly.

Tom placed him on the stretcher as the EMTs automatically got to work. A mask was placed on his mouth. As they secured a brace around his neck. "Patient is pale and unresponsive. Will require a blood transfusion immediately."

"Adrien!" Marinette reached for his hand, before another EMT took hold of her's first. "Come on, Miss Ladybug, let's get you on a stretcher."

"No! I need to ride with him!"

"If you want to help him, you have to help yourself. Please."

A wave of dizziness took her as she swayed on her feet. The paramedic caught her and helped her lay down. "It's alright, Ladybug. You're both safe. Just rest now, okay?"

She didn't really have a choice anymore, did she?

Another mask was placed over her face as the bed started to move. Someone covered her with a blanket, affording her an ounce of privacy.

They rolled out of bakery, and into chaos of flashing lights and shouting.

"I'm right here, honey." Her mother said, taking her hand. "Adrien's in the other ambulance with your father. Just breathe. Everything's alright."

Alright.

Alright.


	31. Interrogating

She awoke. The room was dim, and just the right amount of warm. Her throat felt dry and her limbs weak. She didn't know if she had the energy to speak.

"Emilie?" A woman's soft voice asked.

"Hmm?" She hummed back.

A hand fell on hers. "Good to see you awake. You've been asleep for a long time."

"How…long?"

"Four years."

She blinked more, trying to clear the haze on her mind.

"Shh, keep resting. You're still very weak."

"Where…?"

"We're in Tibet, in the temple of the Guardians."

"Temple…?"

The woman, now recognized as Gabriel's secretary Nathalie, chuckled softly. "Go back to sleep. I'll catch you up later."

"Where's…my husband? And Adrien?"

"Gabriel's in Paris and…we're not sure where Adrien is…that's why Gabriel's not here."

Emilie pushed up on the mattress. "Adrien's missing?! Why!?"

"Shh…" Nathalie pushed her back down by the shoulder. "Please Emilie, don't strain yourself."

"Well, I'm wide awake now, so you better get explaining!"

Nathalie rolled her eyes. "Will you relax if I do?"

"…Yes ma'am."

"Alright…well. It started about a year after you fell asleep…"

—

Everything happened in a whirlwind of action. Everyone wanted to know what was happening, and wanted to be a part of helping. The Gorilla got a police escort to the hospital, driving Alya and Gabriel, while Nino volunteered to stay behind and lock up. News vans followed the ambulance and car. Traffic stopped and pulled over as the cars zoomed through the city.

At the hospital, Marinette and Adrien were unloaded and rushed into surgery. Sabine, still transformed, and Tom were escorted to a private waiting room.

And then, silence.

All the rushing and shouting, it stopped.

Sabine stood in the room, trembling.

"I believe the phrase was 'spots off', darling." Tom said softly.

"Hm? Oh, Spots Off." The whirlwind pink disappeared just as it came, and Tikki appeared in front of her, barely staying afloat.

"Madam Cheng?" She asked weakly.

"What is it, dear?"

"Um…I'm really hungry from the cure…do you have any cookies?"

Sabine gave her a sympathetic smile. "So you're the little mouse that steals my cookies at night."

Tikki smiled sheepishly.

"I don't have any on me right now, but lets see what's in this vending machine."

Tikki settled for a bag of mini chocolate chip cookies and took her meal to eat on a chair.

Not much later, Gabriel, the Gorilla, and Alya were escorted into the room by a nurse.

"They got in alright?" Gabriel asked.

"Yes, they got right in. They didn't even ask Tom and I for any medical information."

"Ah, yes, that would be my doing."

Tom and Sabine shared a look. "What do you mean?"

Gabriel thought for a second, then admitted, "I could have sworn I already told you, but perhaps in the rush of things, I forgot to mention it. I apologize. Do you remember a few weeks ago when I asked if you had packed up your medical files with your belongings?"

"Oh! Yes, you asked for Marinette's!"

"Yes, this hospital has assembled a specific team of specialists to prepare for them. They studied the stream and have everything they need to get started right away."

"Wow, that's smart!" Commented Alya. "Was that your idea, Mr. Agreste?"

"I wish, but no. It was Dr. Ernest Boucher, an akuma victim who wanted to pay off his debt. We've taken care of everything. The bill is squared. You only have to worry about Marinette."

Sabine let out a sob. "Thank you!"

Gabriel tried to smile, but it fell flat. "Don't thank me yet. I'm not worthy of gratitude."

At that, Tikki looked over to him, aware that she was exposed to the parents, but not really noticing it until now.

Alya knelt on the floor next to her chair. "Hi there, I'm Alya." She introduced.

"Oh, I know." Tikki said with a smile. "I'm well acquainted with you. So is Trixx."

At the name, Trixx popped out of Alya's shirt. "Heya Tik!"

"Hi Trixx!"

The fox floated down and joined Tikki on the chair. "Wayzz is with Nino and Pollen is with Chloe."

"Nino should be here soon," Alya provided. "He stayed behind to make sure everything was locked up at the bakery. Don't want reporters getting in there after all."

The door to the waiting room opened, a police officer entering. "Captain David Phillips," he introduced with a bob of the head. "I'm in charge of security for your children during their stay here."

Sabine breathed, another worry dissuaded. "Oh thank you!"

"Of course, Mrs. Cheng. There will be officers posted at each of their rooms. All staff working with them have already gone through background checks, and have been picked by Dr. Ernst Boucher to work on his team. If I may, I would like to write up a list of people with clearance to visit. My recommendation is that you keep the list short. It is likely the team won't allow any guests besides immediate family in the beginning."

"Right."

He took out a notebook. "Of course, I have Sabine Cheng, Tom Dupain, and Gabriel Agreste on the list. Anyone else I should add?"

"Alya Cesaire and Nino Lahiffe," Sabine stated. "And Roland and Gina Dupain."

"Arthur Chevalier and Chloe Bourgeois." Added Gabriel. "But not the mayor. I'd rather he stay away."

The chief nodded, noting this all down. "Anyone else?"

"Oh! And Wang Fu." Said Sabine.

"Alright. Anyone else?"

"Not at this time."

"Alright. Just let me know if you need to edit the list. My men have strict instructions not to allow anyone in who does not have clearance. We are also keeping an eye out on both of your homes."

"Thank you, Captain Phillips."

"My pleasure. I'll leave you alone now." And he left.

The Gorilla took a chair and gestured a thumb to the door, indicating he would wait outside.

"Thank you, Arthur." Gabriel breathed.

Sabine collapsed into a chair next to Tikki, her hand resting on her face.

"Are you alright?" Tikki asked softly.

"I'm fine, dear. Just a little migraine."

Tikki floated up and pressed her forehead to Sabine's humming slightly. "Did that help?"

"Y-yes. It's gone!"

Tikki smiled. "It's not much, but I aid healing. You should give the earrings back to Marinette as soon as you can."

"I was planning on it."

Gabriel smirked at the conversation, and took a seat as well. There wasn't much else to do but sit and wait. He took out his phone and checked his email. It wasn't likely that he'd hear back from Nathalie on a constant basis. The Temple was out of cellular rage, and was still in the past as far as technology went. In order to send an email, she would have to hike down to the village. And that required her to be healed.

So it was to his great surprise that an email from Nathalie awaited him in his inbox.

_Gabriel, _

_The Miraculous Guardians have been successful. I am writing this email on my first full hike down to the village with the monks. I'm feeling much better. Maybe the best I've felt in my life._

_Emilie woke up yesterday evening. I told her a little bit of what's happened while she's been asleep. So far, she knows that you used the butterfly Miraculous to try to get a hold of the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous in order to wake her up. She fell back asleep after that. She doesn't know Adrien was the Black Cat. She knows that Adrien is missing, but I didn't get that far into the explanation. I also did not tell her that you are considered a villain in Paris. _

_She is very weak, but the guardians assure me that she'll make a full recovery. It may be a few weeks still. I will stay with her until she is ready to go home. _

_On a more professional note, I would like to take some time off after this. Nothing against you or Emilie, but my heart is in a dangerous place in regards to you. I need some time to put aside my feelings. I will return to work with you eventually. _

_Please feel free to email me back. I will return to the village tomorrow, as I have been assured that it is good for my health. _

_I am eager to hear how things are going with the investigation of Marinette and Adrien. _

_Cordially, _

_Nathalie Sancoeur _

A smile graced his face as relief flooded through him. Tears came to his eyes, but he blinked them away before anyone would notice.

Emilie was awake!

And Nathalie was better!

And now, just to wait for Adrien. And Marinette too, of course. But mostly Adrien.

Rereading the email, a sinking feeling settled on his stomach. How was he suppose to explain his actions to Emilie? He certainly couldn't lie to make it seem less horrible than it was.

He was definitely regretting some of his desperation.

"Oh yes darling, I am a terrorist and our son was fighting day and night to defeat me. Because of my actions, Adrien was picked to be a hero, and subsequently got kidnapped and tortured. But he's fine now."

Yeah, that sounded like a sane man.

_Dear Nathalie,_

_Thank you for emailing me so promptly. I'm overjoyed to hear that you are doing better and that Emilie is finally awake. Thank you for being brief with her about the situation. I would like to explain more of it to her in person. I believe she deserves to hear it from me at least. _

_I will approve your time off when the time comes. Take as long as you need, you've certainly earned it. _

_I must apologize, Nathalie. I know I took advantage of you. No other employee would have gone above and beyond the call of duty. You became ill because of my actions, and that's something I can't apologize enough for. Furthermore, I think it would be wise for us to part ways for a while. I know you have a special place in my heart as well, and that's not fair to you with Emilie waking up. I desperately love my wife. And I love you too, but in a different way. As my colleague, my confident, my friend. Thank you for all you have done. For raising our son for us, for managing the company, for Mayura. All of it. _

_You are forever welcome in our home, whatever you choose to do. _

_What more, I know Adrien has high regards of you. And he will be missing you turning his recovery. That's right, they've been found! Both Marinette and Adrien are in grave shape though. I'm writing this from the hospital. I'll tell you everything later. _

_Enjoy Tibet._

_Sincerely, _

_Gabriel_

And he sent it.

What came next, who could tell? His emotions straddled somewhere in limbo between anxious and optimistic. Looking around to the various states of worry in the room, he decided he didn't belong with them. So he stood, and walked out, not offering a word to anyone as to where he was going.

He wasn't quite sure where that was either.

He passed Nino in the hall, who gave him a questioning look.

"Coffee," he responded automatically, giving himself an excuse.

"I'll come along." Said the teenager, squashing his hopes to be alone.

But he didn't blame Nino. He wouldn't trust himself alone either. For a while, they walked in silence, riding the elevator down to the first floor without a word.

It was evening now, dinner time for most folks. But neither Gabriel or Nino found themselves to be hungry in any capacity. There was a small cafe within the food court open, with a short line. The men stood next to each other, lost in their own thoughts.

"Your arm healed with the cure, right?" Nino suddenly asked, quiet so others wouldn't overhear.

"Yes. The stitches are gone and everything."

They stepped up and made their order. Gabriel ordered a black coffee for himself, while Nino ordered specific drinks for everyone else.

"That'll be 24.86." Said the cashier.

Gabriel handed over his card. "I'll take care of it."

Nino smirked as they went to sit at a nearby table to wait for their order.

"Sorry…" Nino began. "I didn't mean to tag along if you needed a minute, I just…"

"It's fine," Gabriel stated, fiddling with a salt shaker on the table. "I'm the enemy after all, I should be watched at all times."

"That's not what I meant…your son is…he's in the hospital and the future is uncertain. I'm just worried about you."

"Thank you, but I don't need your concern." He said, a little harshly.

Nino sighed. "Adrien told me…after you lost your wife, you became a lot colder. No offense, but I'm worried for you for Adrien's sake."

Gabriel took a moment to relax his hunched shoulders and exhale slowly. He was way too tense, and that wasn't good for anyone. "I'm sorry. I know it's been a few years now, but I treated you unfairly the first time we met. I called you something unsavory, when all you were trying to do was make Adrien happy. That's all you've ever tried to do. Thank you for ignoring my wishes and continuing to be his friend."

Nino actually smiled at him. "Don't worry about it dude—er, sir. Besides, you let me DJ that one fashion show. That was super cool!"

"You did a fine job. I'll let you know if any more opportunities arise."

"Thanks dude!"

Gabriel smirked. "You're welcome…_dude_."

Nino erupted in violent laughter, nearly falling out of his chair.

"Forget I said anything." Gabriel said flatly.

"Agreste!" Called the Barista.

The boys gathered their drinks and returned to the waiting room, still in silence, but a lighter feeling than before.

In the waiting room, Nino set the drinks on the little table and confessed he just picked out six drinks that looked interesting. One for each person, and one for the kwami's to share.

Gabriel sat against a wall, watching the exchange while sipping on his black coffee. It felt awkward, as the elephant in the room sat between him and all these kind people. He rubbed his thumb over his ring finger, a force of habit from when he wore a wedding ring. His had been taken by Felix, so he wore Emilie's for a while. But when she was taken to Tibet, he gave it back. Now he longed to have something to fidget with.

He reached into his pocket, immediately feeling the cool metal of Adrien's Miraculous.

He had forgotten he picked it up. He just assumed his pocket was a safer place for it than Marinette's bedroom. He took it out, resting the ring on his palm. It looked and felt like any other ring. He turned it over with his fingers, studying the design before it flashed green.

Plagg rocketed out, awake. "Adrien!" He shouted.

Well, if anyone was unaware of Chat Noir's identity, he just blew it. But luckily, that wasn't a problem in this room.

Plagg spun around, his eyes frantic. This was not the last place he was awake. The last thing he saw was that woman and she took off the ring—

He turned around, facing Gabriel, and saw the ring in his hand.

"Why do you have that?" He asked darkly.

"I—…" Gabriel gaped.

"That doesn't belong to you! Give it back! That's my kitten's!" He shouted.

"Plagg…" Tikki tried to calm him down.

"Where is he?! What did you do to him!?"

Gabriel raise his hands in a pacifying nature. "Adrien's in surgery."

"Surgery!? What did you do to him?!"

"He didn't do anything, Plagg!" Tikki shook him. "It was that woman! That woman that stole the Miraculous! She hurt Marinette too!"

And then Nooroo peeked ever so slightly out of Gabriel's pocket.

All hell broke loose.

"**_You!_**" Plagg grabbed Gabriel's shirt, and yanked him to stand. "You disgusting piece of filth! Give me one good reason not to kill you this second!"

"Plagg!" Tikki grabbed him and tried to force the fabric from his paws. "Let him go!"

"You monster! Do you know how many nights I had to comfort him because of your abuse!? How many times he cried because you neglected him!? You might be his father, but you aren't his dad! You're a walking shit stain! Scum of the earth! A selfish, evil, pathetic excuse for a man! I hate you! I hate what you did to him! I hate what you did to both of them! And now this!? How could you betray him!?"

Gabriel wasn't able to fight back. He was too stunned to say anything. This tiny creature could destroy him with a single breath.

"Plagg, stop it. You're not thinking clearly!"

"I'm not thinking clearly!? Tikki! He's Hawkmoth!"

"What?!"

"Nooroo! Nooroo get your ass out here!"

Tikki gasped as the lilac butterfly came into view, looking completely ashamed.

Plagg continued his rant, oblivious to the slack jaws in the room. "Is there a single person in your life that you haven't hurt?! Haven't manipulated into doing your biding!?"

"I didn't mean to—"

"I've seen centuries, you vile worm! I've lived among humans as long as they've existed! So you listen to me when I say you are nothing but evil, Gabriel Agreste! Your heart is full of hatred and you aren't capable of love! Not towards your son! Not towards your wife! That's why she left you!"

Gabriel ripped his shirt out of the kwami's paws. "She didn't leave me!"

Plagg let him go, curious, but still fuming, as to why that was the only thing he argued.

"You're right. I'm vile, and cruel, and evil. But Emilie didn't leave. She…" He swallowed.

Everyone was watching him carefully, partly in fear of his violence. Partly because they wanted to give him a chance to redeem himself.

"The Peacock Miraculous is broken." He began. "It was broken when we got it, though I didn't know at the time. Emilie and I…we bought them from a vender in Tibet. Along with a book. We used them as inspiration in our designs. And for a while, thats all we used them for. But…Emilie, she always wore the peacock because she loved her Kwami so dearly. But Dusuu…she stole Emilie's energy. And eventually, she fell asleep and wouldn't wake up." Gabriel fell into his chair, his head in his hands. "I didn't know what to do. The doctors had no answers. She wasn't dead, but…" He shook his head. "Nooroo told me there was a chance to save her, if I could get the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous. I could unify their powers and make an ultimate wish."

"So, you had to lure us out." Said Tikki. "By akumatizing people."

"Yes," Gabriel breathed. "So many times, things went too far, and I told myself I'd quit. But then I'd get so close and…it just got worse and worse. I neglected everything. I was obsessed! And then—And then Salo captured them." He hugged his arms around his waist, feeling sick. "I had a hunch once, that Adrien was Chat Noir. He always wore the same ring, and got defensive when I asked him about it. But he was too clever and diverted my attention from him. It came as a shock when I saw his costume come off. All this time, I was trying to protect him…trying to bring his mother back and make us a family again…but all I did was drive him away. This is all my fault. Not Master Fu's, not even Salo's…I'm responsible for this."

Plagg said nothing, just glared and listened.

Gabriel raised his head to look into the kwami's ancient green eyes. "So you'd be doing Adrien a favor by killing me."

Plagg groaned at the sacrificial tone. Humans were just so stupid. "No, I wouldn't. That kid loves you. I don't know why, but he does. So, if you are really repentant, and whatever…then you better start acting like a father. Getting rid of you would just hurt him more…he doesn't need any more loss."

Gabriel smiled the tiniest bit. "There is something good that came out of this."

Plagg looked at him skeptically.

"Master Fu revealed himself to us. In order to apologize. I took him aside and explained all of this. He arranged Emilie and Nathalie to go to Tibet and see the Guardian's at the temple. Nathalie just emailed. Emilie…she's awake. She's alright. Adrien will have his mother back."

Gabriel continued to smile as Plagg stared right back, something akin to pity on his face. "So what? You think this is happily ever after now?"

Gabriel's smile fell.

"Adrien doesn't need his mom anymore. He thought she was dead. He grieved. Alone. And then he healed and moved on. He found family in his friends. You're the one that stayed behind in denial. Instead of dealing with the consequences of your actions, you brought everyone else down into madness with you. Do you know what seeing her alive again will do to him? Do you know how badly that will mess him up? Knowing that she was alive the whole time and she didn't return? Or that you didn't tell him!?"

Gabriel's face paled. "I tried to tell him…but I didn't think he'd understand."

"He wouldn't've. I barely understand it myself, and only because it's over now."

Tikki floated a few inches away from Plagg, as he continued to crackle with energy.

"This is stupid. I've wasted enough time here listening to your pathetic excuses. I have to see him! I promised I'd never leave him alone again!" He darted through the nearest door in frantic energy.

"Plagg!" Tikki shouted, flying after. Trixx and Wayzz hurried to catch up as well.

In the hall, Plagg rushed around, peeking in every room he came into, and stopping every time he saw a blond head.

When it became clear that Adrien wasn't on the floor, he darted through the floor and went on his search.

"Adrien! Adrien!" He cried, startling nurses and patients alike.

Plagg pulled up short in front of a man in full scrubs, mask and gloves. "Where's Adrien!?" He asked.

The man blinked. "I—What?"

"Adrien! Adrien Agreste! Where is he!? I need to see him!"

"I believe he's in surgery…what are you?"

"Where!?" Plagg just screamed louder. Then he caught sight of the white board on the wall. A quick glance showed the name Agreste in room OR4.

He was off again, without a look back.

Frantic, he flitted from room to room, tracking the numbers.

Then finally, he found it. OR4.

He burst in the doors, startling those inside. "Adrien!"

A nurse looked at him, tilted her head, and said, "I'm sorry, you can't be in here…"

"He needs me! Please!" But as he came closer, dread wrapped around him. It had to be Adrien. There was a young man on the operating table, laying on his stomach. The height was the same, the hair was still that golden wheat color. But he was so skinny and pale...

But the worst part was that from the base of his neck to his lower calves, deep gashes cut into his skin and muscle. The worst was around his shoulder blades, which were visible through the gore.

"What are you doing to him?" Plagg's voice came out hollow, and afraid.

The head surgeon looked up at him, his eyes narrowing. "I'm Dr. Ernst Boucher, in charge of Adrien and Marinette's surgeries and recoveries. Who…and what, are you?"

"I'm Plagg."

"Ah, I see," said he and then gestured him forward with a bloody finger.

The team watched him as he floated closer, and hovered over Adrien's heart.

"We've studied the footage very carefully. He called for you, asking where you were."

"Footage? What are you talking about?"

The doctor pointed to the table, right beside Adrien's neck. "You can sit here."

Plagg floated down and nuzzled against his chosen.

"Ladybug and Chat Noir were kidnapped and their identities were revealed on camera."

"So everyone knows?"

"The whole world knows. They've been broadcasting them for about a month and a half now. Live torture at any hour of the day."

"A month…?" Plagg's voice was gravelly and weak. "They were tortured?"

"Yes." Said the doctor, as he continued the surgery. "Adrien has a some pretty severe tissue damage all through here."

"How did this happen?"

The doctor was quiet for a moment, giving instructions to his team members, before answering, "Several hours of flogging with a cat-o-nine tails."

Plagg didn't say anything after that, just let out a quiet sob and snuggled closer to Adrien's neck.

—

Hours later, the group in the waiting room were high with anxiety. Gabriel continued to sit in the corner with his head in his hands. Light conversation had flittered around the room, but no one dared bring up Hawkmoth's sad origin.

Tikki, Trixx, and Wayzz had returned after about a half hour, when they concluded Plagg was nowhere to be found, and he likely wanted to be left alone.

Alya rested her head on Nino's shoulder while she napped. Tom and Sabine played cards at the table.

Then the door opened. There stood a doctor in still bloody scrubs, with a black blob in his hand.

"Are you Dr. Boucher?" Gabriel asked, at attention.

"That's right. Mr. Agreste?" He held out his free hand for a hand shake. "Nice to meet you in person. Glad we were able to get on this as soon as possible." He turned to Tom and Sabine. "Mr. Dupain? Mrs. Cheng? Marinette's all stitched up. She has received a blood transfusion and a whooping 19 stitches on her back. Right now, we're monitoring a pretty severe case of pneumonia, as well as an infection in her hand and her feet. We have her on an IV with antibiotics to help with this. She's also on a ventilator to help with her breathing. She has some scarring on her neck from strangulation, but as that happened a while ago, I think any damage has healed. Examining the footage, we've deduced that the food they were giving them is what's known as 'food loaf' a old prison practice. Leftover meals are blended and then cooked into a flavorless loaf. But most of the nutrients are there. While they aren't completely starved, we still will have to ease them into a regular diet to avoid refeeding syndrome. They will both be drinking a lot of water and juice high in electrolytes." He noticed the other kwamis sitting on a chair, watching them, and brought Plagg over to join them. He was asleep and curled up into a ball. "Marinette will be extremely tired because of the infections. She's not likely to wake up for several days. And when she does, I'm not certain about her mental state. She will be confused, but that's understandable."

"What about Adrien?" Gabriel asked, once the man seemed finished.

Dr. Boucher sighed. "Adrien is still in surgery, or…more precisely, he's back in surgery. His flogging wounds were much more severe since he was whipped for a longer period of time. He is being stitched where he can, but we had to do a split-depth skin graft over his shoulder blades. The whip went deep into his muscles and tore out his flesh right down to the bone. We were able to suture the muscles back together, but the skin was too far apart to stitch back together. We took a sample from his inner thigh that was wide enough to cover his wound."

"So what's happening to him now?"

"Now the team is preparing to examine his sternum. In the early part of their stay, he sustained a wound from a crowbar to the chest. During the wedding, the bruising was visible and I can already tell he has a few broken ribs. He may even have flail chest, where the ribs float in the plural cavity and can damage other organs." He frowned, his lip pulling further on one side. "This is a very difficult case. In order to do either surgery, Adrien had to risk the other wound. Obviously, the back was the most pressing, even with the pressure his akuma suit put on the wound, it was still bleeding fiercely. In order to get it properly cared for, he would have to lay on his front, risking the broken rib. It's a tricky situation."

Gabriel didn't say anything, just closed his eyes in defeat.

"Besides those wounds, I'm assuming Adrien also has pneumonia, as he was exposed to the same conditions as Marinette. Because of the blood loss, he entered Hypovolemic shock, and achieved stage 4, which resulted in kidney and heart failure. With a blood transfusion, he should be on the mend, as his heart rate has steadily decreased and his hyperpnea has slowed. His breathing still doesn't sound good, but it's a lot slower and stable. That leads me to believe that he's come out of shock. We will have to monitor his kidney output."

Gabriel collapsed in a chair, his head in his hands.

"He also has infection in his hand where he was branded. And unfortunately, the upper part of his left ear will have to be removed. The infection has turned gangrenous and could infect the bloodstream."

"Please tell me that's all…" Gabriel whispered.

"Once he has stabilized, we will operate on his arm. The dislocation of his shoulder has likely stretched his tendons, and his arm will not be usable until that is fixed. And, I have no proof of this, but I think he may have vocal nodules, little growths on his vocal chords that prevent him from speaking. This is usually caused by excessive screaming."

"Can I see him?"

Dr. Boucher sighed again, and rested a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Mr. Agreste, I can't let you see your son right now. And it's with a heavy heart I tell you…he may not survive the night. He lost a lot of blood."

A sob broke out of the man. "But you gave him a transfusion! He has enough blood now!"

"Yes, but he's not getting enough oxygen to his body! We've introduced a ventilator, but there's not much else we can do with the pneumonia and nodules." He swallowed. "It's up to Adrien now."

The room was silent as Nino embraced Alya, Tom held his wife, and misery choked Gabriel.

"I'm so sorry I couldn't give you more good news, but I wanted to provide an update as soon as I could. I have to go back now. We're beginning Adrien's rib fixation."

No one tried to stop him.

He nodded once, and left the room.

Gabriel didn't move, couldn't move, couldn't _breathe_. He was suffocating. And he was all alone. This was when he really needed his wife. She deserved to know what was happening. But there was no way, in good conscience he could tell her. Not after all he did to her.

"Mr. Agreste?" A tiny voice spoke up.

Gabriel raised his eyes to a little red kwami, looking at him with so much pity he could drown in it.

"I'm Tikki, Marinette's kwami." She introduced, pleasantly.

He looked away from her.

"You know, Adrien's really strong. And he really loves Marinette, so I don't think he'd give up on her."

"Why are you talking to me?" It was just a curious question, but came out so harshly in his voice. "Don't you know who I am?"

She blinked. "You're Hawkmoth."

His lip twitched in disgust.

"But you're also Adrien's father, and Marinette's favorite fashion designer."

"I'm also responsible for this." He spat. "If not for me, then they wouldn't—"

"Perhaps not." Said Tikki, wisely. "But it could have been someone else. Someone who would have been tortured and killed. They wouldn't have been rescued, and the woman wouldn't have been caught. She would keep on hurting people. No matter what you've told yourself, or what others may have said…this isn't your fault. It's Salo's."

He shook his head. "Regardless, I've still hurt so many people. I've hurt my son! Everything would have been better without me."

"Really? Because…without you, I would have never met Marinette. And Plagg would have never met Adrien. And he'll never admit it, but Adrien's his favorite wielder."

Gabriel just stared at her and listened.

"Without you, people would have never gotten to experience the thrill of superheroes. Adrien and Marinette wouldn't have gotten to _be_ superheroes. We keep focusing on the trials they had to endure, but not the joys they felt. Marinette's boost in confidence, Adrien's freedom to let loose. Paris wouldn't have a reason to fight for positivity…And Ladybug and Chat Noir would have never become friends."

"Marinette and Adrien know each other from school." He argued.

"But the unwavering trust, the absolute devotion, that came from their bond as heroes. Not from being classmates."

Gabriel hugged his stomach with one arm, as a hand ran through his already wild hair. He chanced a glance to the other side of the room, to see everyone staring at him.

He swallowed. "I have to turn myself in. I have to go to prison."

"No, don't." Said Sabine, standing to walk over to him. "Hawkmoth is retired. He saved them, and that's enough for me."

His eyebrows raised. "Are you sure?"

"I know you want to do the right thing, Gabriel. But think of Adrien. He'll need all the love and support he can get. I know Tom loves him like a son, but there's no replacement for a father."

Gabriel hunched his shoulders.

"And besides, do you really want him dealing with the press of that discovery? Do you think that's fair in the wake of what's happened?"

He scowled. "No. That's not fair to him at all."

"Then, here's the deal." She sat in the chair next to him, and made herself look professional. "You are going to get your act together. You're going to be better. You're going to be a dad for that boy. You're going to get therapy and leave the past in the dust. Do we have an agreement?" She held out her hand.

Gabriel inhaled deeply, sitting up. He combed his hair back. "It won't be easy. But I'll do my best. In return, I ask that you call me out if you see me slipping into previous behaviors."

"Oh, I promise I will."

"Then we have a deal."

And they shook on it.


	32. Listening

Pierre Rouso was not a praying man. He was a criminal, with a charge list the length of his arm. But he was completely and utterly done as of tonight. The bald camera man sat in his holding cell, crying his eyes and guilt out, praying for forgiveness. He had participated with the police chief, just as he promised, and led everyone down to the Bunker in the Catacombs. He handed over passwords, combinations to locks, found every key he knew of, and did everything he could to make up for the injustice of his actions.

Seven prisoners were recovered from the bunker, all huddled into ambulances and taken to hospitals. Families were contacted, and missing person cases were closed.

All in the span of one night.

It was terrifying, and Pierre knew he was traumatized.

He awaited his fate in the holding cell at the precinct, though it was more of a formality than anything. The police chief had assured him that his cooperation was greatly appreciated and would reflect well on him when trial came.

He got his one phone call, and instead of calling his parents or friends, anyone that he knew would listen to him, he decided to call his kid sister.

He got her voicemail. "Elise? It's Pierre. I know you…you're disappointed with me. I really let you down. I'm supposed to be an example to you, but so far, I've only been an example of what not to do." He swallowed. "I just wanted to let you know, I'm sorry. I've really messed up, and I got tied up with the wrong crowd, trying to get my life turned around. Sort of…an Ursula from the Little Mermaid situation. I made things worse, and…well, I might be going back to prison. You'll probably hear about it on the news." He choked, the truth getting caught in his throat. But he vomited it out anyway. "I was…involved in the Ladybug and Chat Noir incident. I didn't want to be, but Salo said if I didn't—she would—she knew mom and dad's address. Knew yours too. I felt so helpless. I just needed to confess to you. You probably won't believe me. You…probably think I'm a failure as a brother. I sure feel like one. But, ever since that night you cut me off, I vowed to turn things around. I wanted you to be proud of me. Because I love you, and I'm so so proud of you. You're a great kid, and the best sister a guy could ask for. I don't ask for forgiveness. Just…understanding. I'm…I'm at the police precinct right now. This is my one phone call. Maybe I should have called Ma," he chuckled. "But I couldn't stop myself. I was just through hell. I don't know if you saw the news. I was the person behind the camera. I don't know why Ladybug spared me, but I didn't want to waste another moment. I had to tell you. You hear me, Elise? Don't waste anytime either. If there's anything you want to do, do it." He let out a shuttering breath. "Maybe, if you're feeling generous, could you let ma and pa know? I know that's asking a lot. I'm sorry to burden you."

The phone beeped, a warning that he was running out of time.

"But I love you. I will never stop loving you. Even if you never talk to me again. That's fine. Go out there and be amazing. Um…I'm going to hang up now. Bye."

It was an awkward way to end the message, but he had to. Or else he'd go into more rambling apologies and 'I love you's. Not necessarily a bad thing, but he didn't want to overwhelm her.

That was several hours ago, after he had returned from his tour of the bunker. Then he was allowed to wash up, cleaning the blood from his face and arms. His clothes were stained, but there was nothing to do about it.

He waited then. Officers letting brief updates float around the room. Edward Savauge had been murdered, his body hoisted from the Arc de Triomphe like a trophy. Lady Lacrima and Grimalkin faced off against the auxiliary heroes and Hawkmoth.

Several more hours passed before a group of three banged up kids were brought into his holding cell with him.

"What happened to you boys?" Pierre asked, noticing the way they trembled.

"There's two akuma on the loose." Said one of the boys. "It was just supposed to…we just wanted the money in the cash register. Easy, right? But I had no idea that he was there."

"Who?"

"Chat Noir. Or…who used to be Chat Noir. Sent one of us to the hospital."

Pierre grunted. "You're lucky that's all he did."

"Whaddya mean?"

"I mean…I saw what those two are capable of. They killed a room full of people without breaking a sweat. This blood? It's not mine. You should thank your lucky stars."

Then, a rush of red Ladybugs filtered passed the cell, lifting the blood from his clothes, and easing the soreness in the boys.

Pierre sighed as a cheer went up through the Precinct. "It's over. It's finally over."

—

Nadja was exhausted, if not completely traumatized. She had been the one to volunteer to follow the Ladybug and Chat Noir story. So she had been on high alert with the van at any moment, ready to get a shot of the akumas in person.

But Lady Lacrima's demonstration at the Arc de Triomphe was beyond horrible. It was scary, vial, and evil. Everything that Ladybug wasn't. Later, she would find out that the cameras had turned away from the bodies as soon as they were revealed. They only captured Lady Lacrima's speech, and the wails of the crowd surrounding them.

But it was over now.

The Miraculous Cure had run it's course through Paris, correcting everything since they were first akumatized. It even fixed the damage caused by the wrecking ball akuma that started this whole mess.

She had even seen Marinette and Adrien loaded in the stretchers with her own eyes.

The hospital was silent. No one was allowed any information without clearance. So Nadja went home, finally. She'd monitor her phone and the Ladyblog. Someone would say something eventually, right?

—

Chloe had been helpful for once. She arrived at the hospital waiting room with her butler loaded up like a pack-mule.

"Alya, Nino, your backpacks." She announced, holding out the bags.

"Thanks Chloe, you're a real lifesaver!" Alya said honestly, noting her laptop was safely tucked inside.

"I know. Mrs. Cheng, I brought your purse with your phone chargers."

"Thank you dear."

"And Mr. Agreste," she said with some level of coldness. "I brought the project that was in your office. Sorry if it's wrinkled."

"That's fine Chloe. I can iron it." He said, coming to take the hefty bag from the butler.

"That will be all, Jean-Pierre."

"Yes, Miss Bourgeois." He bowed before leaving the room. He technically wasn't cleared to be in the room anyways.

Chloe plopped into a chair by Alya and Nino. "Any word?"

"Not any more than what I texted you." Alya sighed. "Adrien's still in surgery."

"And Marinette?"

"She's in recovery." Stated Sabine. "We're not allowed to see her yet."

Chloe 'hmph'ed, crossing her arms. "I suppose I'll just have to be patient then."

"You? Patient?" teased Alya.

"I've been known to be patient! On occasion!"

"Sure Chloe, I believe you." Nino said in a slightly sarcastic tone.

Chloe knew they meant none of it. She was happy she had become something akin to friends with them since this started. Not _close_ friendship, but…she could tolerate a few meals together, and what they had affectionately called 'sleepovers' which were just watching the stream and strategizing. When this was all over, and Adrien and Marinette were back to their old selves again, she might even be persuaded to hang out with all of them, as a group.

Her, Alya, and Marinette could get mani-pedis. Heck, Adrien would probably be game for that too.

Yes, when this was all over, and everything went back to normal, they'd all have a lot of fun together. It would be great!

Pollen left her purse and settled on the chair with the other kwamis. Wayzz and Trixx were playing a card game, and Pollen joined.

But Tikki and Plagg were much too solemn to do anything.

"I should be with him." Plagg stated, agitated, for the 100th time.

"You heard the doctor." Tikki scolded softly. "Adrien's immune system is down. Any germs could be detrimental to him."

"I don't have germs." Plagg hissed.

"Oh yeah? So that wasn't you who contracted fleas in the 12th century and spread a plague that wiped out a 1/3 of Europe in 6 years? That was another 'Plagg' of whom the name was attributed?"

Plagg hissed at her and curled in on himself. "I didn't ask you."

"Plagg, I know you love Adrien, but you have to let the doctors work."

"I am!" He argued. "There's not a lock in this world that can stop me from being with him, and I want to be there so so badly! But I know modern medicine is better than what I can do for him…"

Sabine listened to the quiet sobbing of the cat for a moment, before deciding she couldn't take it anymore. Delicately, she scooped him up in her hand, and then delicately started to pet him.

"Not scared you'll get the plague?" He snarked.

"Not a bit," she returned, scratching between his ears.

Just like Adrien would do.

He nestled into her hands, and tried to sleep, knowing that time would pass quicker that way.

Nino's attention was directed over to Mr. Agreste. No one had paid him much attention since Plagg chewed him out. But he looked like he was getting down to work with something.

He had a wooden ring with some light pink fabric stretched across it. In the basket next to him, he had a spool of rose gold thread that he was threading through the palette.

"Mr. Agreste…are you doing needlepoint?"

"Yes," he said, undeterred. "I'm working on a present for Marinette."

That was surprising.

"I didn't know you could embroider." Noted Alya. "Marinette gushed about your work all the time. I don't think she knew either."

"Well, you didn't know I was Hawkmoth. I guess I'm just full of surprises."

The weird tension in the room was destroyed as Tom busted out laughing, nearly falling out of his chair. "I-I'm sorry!" He managed out, still chuckling. "I was just not expecting that from you!"

"Like I said," Gabriel spoke, eyes not even leaving his project. "Full of surprises."

"Can I see what you're doing?" Asked Alya.

"I'm afraid not. This is a surprise after all. I want her to be the first one to see it."

"I'm sure she'll love it." Said Sabine, genuine.

Alya took her laptop out of her bag, resting it on the table in the corner. "Alright, I suppose it's time I start my project as well."

"What project, babe?" Asked Nino.

"I'm going to update the Ladyblog with news from the last few days. Nadja asked me to share what I can. Apparently, the world has gone stir crazy for news. I've even been contacted by the Associated Press."

"That's awesome!" Sabine cheered. "To be contacted by an international news group!"

Alya smiled softly. "You know, when I first started the blog, I dreamed of being Ladybug's best friend. I imagined following her and Chat and helping them so much that I got to be her friend. When I got to be Rena, it was the dream come true. She had asked me to join! And then…I found out she was Marinette. I laid awake one night just remembering all the crazy things I said about Ladybug to her face. The wild fan theories, demanding that she get with Chat Noir, the evidence I had for her identity. So many times, Marinette said 'are you sure you should post that?' and I completely ignored her. How was that being a friend?"

Nino sighed, "babe, you gotta stop beating yourself up. You didn't know she was Ladybug. No one did. She didn't expect you to act any different."

Alya understood where he was coming from, and what he was trying to tell her, but it didn't dissuade her doubts. "I'm going to draft a post. Then I'll let you guys read it and tell me what you think."

"Sounds reasonable," stated Gabriel.

Alya got to work, clacking out a message.

Sabine dug around in her purse for her phone charger, but found two items that had been placed on top. "Oh!" She said as she pulled out the handmade dolls.

"They were on Adrien's bed." Chloe explained. "I thought they might want them."

"I'm sure that'll make being separated for a little while easier on them."

Plagg rose, not able to sleep with conversation in the room. His stomach rumbled, and he cursed it. "I'm hungry," he stated.

Gabriel put his project to the side. "What do you eat?"

Plagg cast him a skeptical glance.

"I have the ring right now, so it's my responsibility to feed you. Come on, let's go down to the food court."

Begrudgingly, Plagg followed, somehow feeling like there was more to this than appeared.

They were silent as they went down to the food court, following the same format he had taken with Nino. Though Nino had be easier to talk to, as he had been more willing to give him a second chance. This kwami wasn't giving him an inch.

"Do you think it's smart to be floating out here in the open?" Gabriel reprimanded.

"Bite me."

"I'm just trying to—"

"Do nothing. I'm capable of finding food on my own. But I assume you had a reason to escort me. So I'll let you tag along. But don't talk to me until I eat. And don't tell me what to do."

Gabriel blinked at the ancient being. "Yes sir."

It was the middle of the night, and all the kiosks were closed. But there were still vending machines. Plagg flitted between them, and found what he was looking for. "I want A3."

"Popcorn?"

"An adequate substitute for my cheese."

"What happened to being able to fend for yourself?" He asked as he took out his wallet.

"I can. But I know Adrien hates it when I take food without asking or paying."

"Ah, I see."

The cafeteria was devoid of people, which made things silent, save for the hum of the microwave and popping kernels.

Gabriel took a seat at a table by a window. The courtyard was alight with little lights illuminating sculptures and plants. A very peaceful, healing environment. A lovely garden that Marinette and Adrien might enjoy later.

A bag of popcorn flopped on the table. Plagg dove in, rustling the bag, and munching on his snack.

A few minutes passed before he came back out. "Okay. I've digested your apology and your reasoning. While I am still extremely angry for hurting Adrien, I am willing to listen to what you have to say."

"I'm grateful."

"I've concluded, that in the history of mankind, what you've done is evil and cruel. But not the worst I've seen. I've had wielders more evil than you."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I had a guy who ate his own baby." He shuddered. "I had forgotten about that."

Gabriel blinked. "That's awful!"

"Well, it was part of the culture back then. Anyways, now you know the bar is really low."

"Good to know, I suppose…"

Plagg ate some more popcorn before Gabriel finally cleared his throat.

"First, I'd like to thank you for taking care of Adrien these last few years."

Plagg scoffed. "It wouldn't have been a problem if you had just done your job."

"That's what I mean." Gabriel insisted. "I wasn't in the right place to be a father. Even if I put the effort in to be with Adrien, I wouldn't have been kind or affectionate to him." Gabriel fisted his hands, looking Plagg in his ancient eyes. "I hated him."

Plagg stared, wide eyed. "What? How could you say that?"

"I need to be honest with you. For Adrien's sake."

Plagg watched him, considering, but stayed silent.

"He looks just like Emilie. He takes after her more than he does me. After she was gone, it became more evident. His smile, his eyes, his laugh, it was like…looking a painful reminder that she was gone. And of course, he didn't know that she could be saved. He just grieved, and he still mourned, but I watched him grow. He made friends, hung out with their families…And I couldn't stand it. Why wasn't he in misery like me? Why was he so optimistic? So hopeful? I thought all sorts of horrible things about him. Assuming he was forgetting her. I'm sure that was the depression telling me that.

"The butterfly miraculous gives me heightened empathy. I knew exactly what everyone around me was feeling. So even when he was schooled into professionalism, I could tell what he was feeling inside. And…it felt better to me to make him sad."

"You know, some people might categorize that into sociopathy."

"That would make sense. Am I awful then? A terrible father?"  
Plagg crunched on mouthful of popcorn as he considered it. "Yes, you are a terrible father. I wish you could have found this out about yourself earlier in life before you had Adrien. Do you think you were always like this? Tell me about your childhood."

Gabriel ran his fingers through his hair. "When did this turn into a therapy session?"

"When I decided I needed to further analyze you before letting you near Adrien again. Now, go on."

"Well…I suppose to some degree, I've always gained some satisfaction from people's suffering. It…really culminated when my little brother died when we were kids. My parents were inconsolable, but I was just angry because they stopped paying attention to me. They never got over it."

"You were never sad that your brother died?"

"I was, a little. I think I might have cried. But, not like my mother did."

"Did you have a lot of friends?"

He screwed up his lips. "I think there were a lot of kids who liked me and thought I was their friend. But I didn't really care to stay in contact with them as I got older."

"Ever feel lonely?"

"Only after Emilie left." He admitted. "She was the only one I felt like I was equal with. That's why I was so desperate to get her back."

"Ever have trouble with the law before Hawkmoth?"

Gabriel got quiet again. "People had trouble with the law because of me."

Plagg narrowed his eyes. "I know you think you're better than others. You're cold, and you shirk familial obligations. You manipulate and threaten people to get them to do what you want. You justify your destructive behavior, no matter how hurtful it is to yourself or others. Does that sound right?"

Gabriel didn't answer.

"But wait!" Said Nooroo, flying out of Gabriel's jacket. "He's been a lot better lately."

Plagg blinked at the newcomer. "I forgot you were in there."

"I was sleeping."

"What do you mean he's been better?"

"He was really accommodating to Marinette's parents, and Alya and Nino! He's thought about their safety and he's been really nice to them!"

"Is it because it's the right thing, or the smart thing?" Asked Plagg.

Gabriel winced. "It's…what Adrien would have wanted."

"Ah, I think I see a solution here." Plagg finished the last few kernels. "You may be around Adrien, but you have to judge your behavior on what you think he would like. Which would be painful, considering you hate him."

"I don't hate him." Gabriel clarified. "I did, at one point. But, as soon as his mask dissolved on the screen—" Gabriel trembled violently, as if the memory had grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him. "It was like I had been punched in the heart. Everything just—hit me. Like…everything I had done had caused this. Every missed dinner, every short comment…"

"Guilt?"

"It felt like I was awake for the first time in my life. Like I was omniscient to all the things I had done. Keenly aware of every piece I had played. And that my actions weren't as self contained as I thought. I can't explain it."

"You became aware that Adrien was a person." Plagg stated. "A person just like you."

Gabriel covered his mouth. His eyes wide with horror at the thought.

"You've got work to do, Gabriel. I'm not the one who's going to fix you. You have to do it yourself, for Adrien's sake."

The man just nodded his head. He looked nauseous.

"What did you want to tell me? You brought me out here, after all."

Gabriel couldn't speak. Couldn't breathe.

Plagg was right. Absolutely right. Adrien hadn't been a son to him. He was a trophy, a pawn.

A toy.

And the realization of that evil was crippling.

But Plagg just sat at the table licking the salt and butter off the bag as the man had a complete meltdown in front of him.

"Don't you think that was a little harsh?" Asked Nooroo.

"What? No. Why don't you ask him what you were to him? See if he can lie and call you a friend."

But Gabriel already had his hands around Nooroo, holding him gently. "I'm sorry…I'm sorry…"

"You're getting better." Nooroo assured, petting his cheek. "I forgive you."

It was still many minutes before Gabriel could speak. He patted his face with his handkerchief. "I'm sorry, I just…"

"Please don't apologize for feeling emotion." Plagg groaned. "I have to tell Adrien that all the time. Probably a trait he got from you."

"Undoubtably." Gabriel whispered. He swallowed hard, and took out his phone. "This is something I wanted to show you. I have to show you. It happened while you were dormant. I get no pleasure from showing you this, understand?"

Plagg was skeptical, but allowed him to turn the screen to him.

The footage was in green, showing a sickly and terrified Adrien. Plagg recoiled at the sight.

Then Gabriel pressed play.

"**_Plagg! Plagg!_**" Adrien screamed as he beat on the door. "**_Plagg!_**"

Gabriel fast forward, only for the scene to stay the same. Same scream, same pounding on the door, same begging, pleading.

_"Plagg!" _

Fast forward more.

_"Plagg!" _

The timestamp went up by minutes, and then hours.

_"Plagg!" _

On and on, never stopping.

_"Plagg!" _

Until his voice gave out.

Plagg just stared, eyes brimming with tears. "Why would you show me that? Why _the hell_ would you show me that!?"

"I don't know what his reaction will be to seeing you. But if it's negative, I want you to know why. We'll explain it to him. But you have to know…"

"You're a sick and twisted man, Gabriel Agreste. I don't envy you."

And he floated off without another word.

—

Oh.

He was very tired.

Very tired and very in pain.

There was pressure on his chest, and strange voices all around.

He cracked open his eyes. A bright light.

Cold. Metal. Under his fingertips.

Paralyzed. He couldn't move. But, maybe, if he could tilt his head forward _just_ enough.

Oh.

That was a lot of blood.

A_ lot _of blood.

His blood?

Yes. Quite.

And…bones. And tools. Sticking out of his chest. Whoa-oh.

"Oh shit. He's awake. Dr. Boucher?"

His eyes shot to the speaker. A woman with red hair and reflective sunglasses.

Salo.

"Adrien? Adrien can you hear me?"

His eyes flicked to the other voice. Another Salo. And another next to her! A whole room of them!

"Adrien, you're in surgery. Just relax."

What were they doing!?

What was going on!?

Why was it so hard to breathe!?

"You're going through anesthesia awareness. We're going to get you back to sleep, okay?"

He couldn't trust anything this woman-these women were saying.

Why did that one sound like a man?

Was that blood?!

But before he could panic anymore, a haze took him and he fell back to sleep.


	33. Waking

Dr. Ernest Boucher would consider himself lucky. He had a loving wife, and a patient son, who understood the importance of his father's job and didn't take it personally when he had to suddenly leave.

And now, after a 48 hour shift, he was returning home. Exhausted, hungry, and stressed, but home.

"I'm home!" He called in the door.

"Oh honey!" His wife called from the other room. "We just sat down for dinner! Come take a seat, I'll make you up a plate!"

Ernest hung up his coat and kicked off his shoes. Home cooking, a hot shower, and to sleep for a few hours in his bed…that's all he wanted.

His wife wrapped an arm around his waist and smooched his cheek. "I made Lasagna."

"Lasagna…I love lasagna…" He said dreamily.

As he came into the kitchen, he saw his son, pouring himself a soda. "Hey Pop! You look like you got hit by a truck!" The boy laughed.

His son was 17 years old, blonde hair, athletic, looked a lot like Adrien. Several times during the surgery, Ernest imagined it was his boy on the table.

He sympathized with Gabriel Agreste, who looked like a complete mess.

"Pop? You good?"

Ernest yanked on his son's arm and pulled him into a tight hug. "Just happy to see you, Kiddo."

With a shrug, Ernest's son hugged his father back.

—

After a filling dinner and a 8 hour night's sleep, Ernest arose. His pager hadn't gone off in the middle of the night. So surely Adrien and Marinette were either in the same place they were, or any minor problems were solved by the team.

He showered, shaved, and got dressed.

His boy was already at school, but had left him a text in the morning.

"_You're my superhero!_" It read, simply.

The words brought tears to his eyes.

His wife made him breakfast, a big one with lots of protein to keep him full until he had a late lunch. She also filled up his coffee mug with a fancy kind that outdid the hospital brew.

And then, with another kiss, he was back off to the hospital.

Or at least that was the plan. He was not expecting to be swarmed outside his house by the media.

"Dr. Boucher! What kind of surgery did Adrien have?!"

"Is Marinette alright?"

"Did Chat lose his arm?"

"Did Adrien survive from the whipping!?"

"Have you talked to the families yet?!"

"Dr. Boucher!"

"Dr. Boucher, over here!"

Completely overwhelmed, his head swiveled everywhere his name was called until he was dizzy.

"Stop!" He shouted, hands out.

The crowd calmed to a murmur.

"Everyone be quiet! Just give me a moment!"

Well, if he was a little dazed before, now he was wide awake.

The media settled down, waiting to hear him.

"Bring the mics closer, I'm only going to say this once. Then I must get back to the hospital!"

Obediently, the news crews all passed microphones up to the front, where some poor intern was put in charge of holding them up like a bouquet in front of the good doctor.

Ernest clear his throat. "Alright. Due to patient confidentiality, I can't get into specifics. But I can tell you that as of when I left last night, both Marinette and Adrien were alive and asleep. They both received care for several wounds inflicted from Salo, including the flogging. Adrien's arm has not yet been addressed, because of other more serious surgeries first. That is all I can tell you now, thank you."

The crowd parted as he headed to his car, but they continued to ask questions as he climbed inside.

Ernest took a sip of his coffee as he started the car. He wasn't sure how the media found out he was in charge of the team. He didn't worry about it, but it wasn't expected. Some nurse who hadn't read their email probably blurted something to someone.

Oh well. He supposed the nugget he gave was fair enough. After a month of knowing absolutely everything happening to the heroes, and then knowing nothing? It would leave people asking questions.

And with Hawkmoth battling with the auxiliary heroes on the Arc de Triomphe, there probably weren't any more threats to worry about.

He hoped.

—

_A waft of wind came sweeping down the laurel-walk, and trembled through the boughs of the chestnut: it wandered away—away—to an indefinite distance—it died. The nightingale's song was then the only voice of the hour: in listening to it, I again wept. Mr. Rochester sat quiet, looking at me gently and seriously. Some time passed before he spoke; he at last said— _

_"Come to my side, Jane, and let us explain and understand one another." _

_"I will never again come to your side: I am torn away now, and cannot return." _

It was a weird dream. No visuals, no feelings. Just a soft voice of a mother recanting a story. She spoke quietly, tenderly, just a hum above a whisper.

Then she felt sensations. Pins and needles of sleepiness in her toes, the ache and twinge of long set wounds.

Her knees ached, as they were unaccustomed to having her legs stretched out. But she found she lacked the strength to move.

Was she awake? Or asleep? Neither, she supposed, balancing on the edge of both. That blissful state of absolute comfort.

Slowly, Marinette back tracked in time. What did she remember?

The haunting image of Adrien bleeding out in that chair, watching him collapse in the hall, his slowly languid breaths in that room.

And then a haze. They moved, somewhere. Wetness, like rain. Running?

It was like looking through a thick cotton curtain, muffling sound and sight.

And now she was here. Wherever 'here' was.

_Still I did not answer, and still I writhed myself from his grasp: for I was still incredulous. _

_"Do you doubt me, Jane?" _

_"Entirely." _

_"You have no faith in me?" _

_"Not a whit." _

It was the perfect temperature. Not too hot, not too cold. A soft bed, cradling her as if she was fragile, and a warm blanket weighing her to the bed. A soft ambient light held back the darkness, but didn't pierce through her lids.

Marinette tried to open her eyes, caked as they were. The light was dim, illuminating gridded ceiling titles immediately above her. It smelled faintly of chemicals, while a droning hiss carried through the air. Her neck ached, but as she tilted her head, she briefly looked around the room. No one to her left, though she did see a strange machine and a metal stand, an IV stand. A tube ran from the bag down to her arm. A door cracked open revealed a bathroom and another door on the far side of the room was closed, but silhouetted figure stood in the window.

To her right, she found the owner of the voice, her own mother, sitting in a chair by her side, hand in hers, and reading from a book. Jane Eyre, as it looked. Farther down the bed, her father sat in another chair, his hand wrapped loosely around her foot.

Behind her parents, orange light filtered through the light curtains.

A bright red blob caught her attention. Tikki laid curled up on her chest.

A moment more, allowing her brain to digest all she could see, and she realized she was in a hospital.

The how and when escaped her.

_"What, me!" I ejaculated, beginning in his earnestness— and especially in his incivility—to credit his sincerity: "me who have not a friend in the world but you- if you are my friend: not a shilling but what you have given me?" _

_"You, Jane, I must have you for my own—entirely my own. Will you be mine? Say yes, quickly." _

_"Mr. Rochester, let me look at your face: turn to the moonlight." _

_"Why?" _

_"Because I want to read your countenance—turn!" _

_"There! you will find it scarcely more legible than a crumpled, scratched page. Read on: only make haste, for I suffer."_

"Marinette?" Her father interrupted.

Marinette didn't respond verbally, not knowing if she had the strength to do so. Instead, she squeezed her hand and twitched her foot.

Warm lips pressed to her forehead, as she came to find a mask on her face. She couldn't speak, even if she wanted to.

"Just sleep, my darling." Sabine said softly. "You're very tired."

She was. That was true.

The warmth, the quiet, the softness, it was soothing.

Safe.

Sleep.

Safe.

Safe.

Adrien.

She awoke with a jolt. It had only been a few minutes, so she thought, but the room was different. Brighter. Day light peered in the window, and her father was gone.

"Honey? Are you okay?" Sabine asked, seeing Marinette startle awake. That wasn't supposed to happen.

"Adrien." She said, in response.

Understanding came over Sabine's face. "Yes darling, he's here. He's in ICU. He'll be okay."

She pulled on the mask that covered her face, immediately struggling to breathe. "I need to see him!"

Sabine just calmly replaced the mask. "You're in no shape to go anywhere."

Marinette grabbed her wrist. "Where is he? Where's Chat?" She began to cry.

Sabine pressed a button nearby. "Ssh, darling. He's alright. Just relax."

Marinette shook her head, forcing the mask from her face. "I don't believe you! I need to see him! Adrien!"

A female nurse hurried into the room. "Oh dear, she's up!" The woman smiled.

"She wants to see Adrien."

The nurse came to the bed, clasping Marinette's hands. "Oh honey, I know you do. But you're in no shape to get out of bed."

"I don't care! I need to see Adrien! Please!" Her voice was breaking, as she desperately tried to get out of the bed. She was exhausted, and everything hurt as she moved.

"I'm sorry dear, but you need to calm down." The nurse pressed the mask back to her face and held it there, as her other hand went to the machine at her side.

"Let me go! He needs me! Please I don't want to leave him alone!"

The nurse petted her hair gently. "Shh, just relax. Breathe. Breathe nice and deep."

"No! No! No…no…" she felt weaker. Her vision blurred as the room tilted.

Sleep. Her brain demanded.

Sleep.

Sleep.

Sleep.

Adrien.

She jolted again. Wakefulness coming to her quite quickly. Things had changed again, though she was only out for a few minutes, right? Except, now it was dark outside, and both of her parents were missing.

"Marinette! You're awake again!" Tikki chirped, floating in front of her.

Marinette stared, not knowing what to say. Surely there should be some tearful reunion, right? Or perhaps shame or guilt?

But her mind was in one place.

"Tikki, spots on."

Tikki had a millisecond to gasp before being sucked into the earrings.

The suit disconnected her from all the tubes and wires. The needles in her veins were forced out, the pads on her chest were peeled off. She ripped the mask off, finding it difficult to breathe again, but not eager to go back to sleep.

All resulting in alarms blaring.

Ladybug had to act quickly to find him. She pushed up, her arms trembling with the action. Her back twinged, as her torn flesh stretched and twisted.

By time she swung her legs over the side of the bed, the nurse appeared. A male nurse this time, roughly the same age as her father, and built like a fridge.

"Whoa there, little lady!" He rushed to her. "You can't be getting up. Do you need to use the bathroom? We can get you a bedpan."

She swatted him away, "don't touch me!"

"What are you trying to do, Ladybug? Let me help you before you hurt yourself."

"I'm going to see Chat! And you're not going to stop me!" She glared at him, daring him to try to stop her.

He studied the intensity of her glare, and sighed. "Alright. Just relax a second, alright?"

She didn't, but stopped trying to stand.

"My name is John, I'm the night shift nurse for you."

She looked at him blankly.

"Now," he took her hand gently. "I will take you to Adrien, but we have to do it the hospital way, okay? You don't want to hurt yourself more, right? Chat wouldn't want you to hurt yourself."

She softened at the tone. "You'll take me to him?"

"Yes, sweetheart. I'll take you to your husband."

_Husband. _

So that wedding really was official after all? It hadn't felt real. No one treated them like husband and wife. They were only treated like garbage.

Her shoulders relaxed, fist uncurled, jaw unclenched. "What's the hospital way?" She asked.

"I'm going to get you a wheelchair. We'll reconnect you to the IV, because you've got to get your fluids up. Then we'll stay for a little while, but when it starts hurting too much, we'll bring you back."

"I can't stay with him?"

John knelt in front of her, and held her hands tightly. "Ladybug, Adrien is in critical condition. He lost a lot of blood. We gave him a blood transfusion, but the rest is up to him. He needs constant surveillance."

"Is…is he going to be okay?"

"I think so. He hasn't passed yet."

"How long was I asleep?"

"You were admitted four days ago. You've been in and out of sleep for the last two."

She frowned, considering this. Finally, she relented. "Spots off."

In a flash of pink, Marinette returned, and with her, more pain. She cried out, as John squeezed her hand.

"I'm going to go get that wheelchair, alright? Stay seated, please." And he hurried out of the room.

Marinette rested her hands on her knees. Her very knobby, scabbed over knees. She wore thick socks, which made her stick legs look even smaller. She was covered in all sorts of cuts and bruises she hadn't seen in the dark, and her right hand, which had been branded, was wrapped with thick gauze.

She dared not look in the mirror.

"Marinette?" Tikki asked, sadly.

"I'm sorry, Tikki," was all she could say.

"You don't need to apologize." The kwami nuzzled against her cheek. "I'm just glad you're safe now. Things are going to be weird, and you might be a little irrational. But that's okay. I still love you."

Marinette shuttered at the affection, reaching up to hold her against her cheek. "I love you too Tikki."

John returned shortly, pushing a chair along. "Here we are."

At his arrival, Marinette pushed against the mattress and tried to slide to the floor. But as her feet made contact, a sharp pain bolted up her legs and she moaned in pain.

"I gotcha," John directed her to sit, not allowing her to stand for more than a second. "I'm sorry, I should have warned you."

"What…what's wrong with my legs?" She asked as the pain subsided.

"You have infection in both of your feet. From running around the catacombs for several hours with no shoes on."

She hummed in understanding.

Carefully, John eased her into the foot rests. Then he had her hold out her arm so he could reattach the IV. "This is a saline solution, just to get your fluids up. You're still pretty dehydrated."

"I'm thirsty." She admitted.

"I'll get you some water in just a second, okay?"

Marinette couldn't watch as he inserted the needle, but did look after he started to secure the tube for the IV. "Its…bizarre."

"What's that?"

"It's…so strange to have you be nice to me. Like…I know you're a nurse, and that you're only trying to take care of me…"

"But you're waiting for the other shoe to drop, right?"

She nodded.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Marinette. I might boss you around a little, but I only have your best interests at heart."

She decided to relax then, leaning back. Her back twinged with the movement. "Agh," she hissed.

"When we get back, I'll get you some pain killers."

"…thank you."

Marinette was escorted into the hall, and they almost immediately were stopped by a man in a white coat.

"John? What do you think you're doing?" He spoke firmly, but calmly. "Miss Dupain-Cheng should not be out of bed."

"She shouldn't." John agreed. "But I found that she is liable to hurt herself if she doesn't see Mr. Agreste. She transformed."

"Ah," the doctor nodded, in understanding. Then he crouched so that Marinette didn't have to crane her neck to look at him. "Hi Marinette, I'm Dr. Boucher. I'm the main physician for you and Adrien."

She didn't say anything, just studied him.

"I know you probably have a hard time trusting anyone right now, but I promise—"

"Stop wasting my time." She bit, pain starting to creep into her body without the aid of painkillers. "I was _promised_ to see Adrien."

The doctor smirked. "Yes, of course my dear. John, I will relieve you, if you would go tell the parents where Marinette will be? I believe they are having dinner at the cafeteria right now."

"Yes sir."

"Thank you. I'll meet you in ICU." He took hold of the chair and started to push her towards the elevators.

"Are you sure I can't stay with him?" Marinette whispered.

"No, my dear. I'm very sorry. I'll take you to see him, but I'll warn you that he looks very scary right now. A lot of tubes and wires all over him. But I promise it's very his best interest."

Marinette didn't outwardly react, but she did feel saddened.

Over the years, Ladybug had seen Chat Noir die several times. Whether it was turning into something, vanishing completely, or hitting the side of a building too hard.

But after the cure, he always bounced back to his normal pun-loving self.

However, this was different. Of course it was. No kwami, no powers, no five minute alarms blaring in her ears. All of it was permanent. She knew that in her head.

But her heart didn't want to see his scars.

Dr. Boucher wheeled her to an elevator, and then pressed the button for the ground floor. The back wall of the elevator was a window that looked out into the courtyard. In the night, she could look across the yard to a set of large windows, showing the cafeteria, busy with people.

The elevator came to rest, and she was led into the hall.

This was a very nice hospital, with art and sculpture along the walls. As they passed various rooms, nurses and doctors alike spotted her and stared as she went.

"They're looking at me." She told the doctor.

"They mean no harm." He assured. "You should know that you and Adrien are the biggest topic of conversation in Paris right now. Everyone is curious to hear how you are."

"It's none of their business," She bit.

"It's not." He confirmed. "But…that woman made it everyone's business. They just want a happy ending."

Marinette gripped the armrests. "So do I."

"Recovery won't be easy, but you have a wonderful support network. And I have several therapists for you both to utilize. That should make it easier for you."

Marinette didn't respond, only digested the information given.

Before too long, they arrived at a room in ICU, being guarded with a police officer. He frowned when he saw Marinette.

"I'd like to see Adrien." She said sternly.

The man just looked at the doctor. "Far be it from me to stop this…but she should be up?"

"It's only for a visit. It's alright."

The man nodded, and allowed them in.

Marinette's eyes immediately fell on the figure in the bed. He was barely visible under all the tubes and wires, and bandages. He was leaning to his left, propped up with pillows, so he wasn't resting flat on his back. She could see his bruised eyes, as his face had a heavy mask strapped to it. Some stray locks of hair stuck out from the strap that led over the top of his head. His left hand had a tube taped to it and a oximeter clamped on his finger. A blanket was pulled up to his sternum, making his chest visible, but it was covered in pads and wires, as well as the tubes that ran into his mask. Under all that was a thick gauze right in the middle of his breast bone, taped on all sides. His right arm, which had been dislocated, was in a sling, resting against his stomach. His hand, wrapped in gauze, rested on top of a Ladybug doll, the one she had made herself. Plagg rested in the crook of his wrist.

"Adrien?"

"He's sedated right now, which is for the best. He's intubated so he can breathe better. It would be painful if he was awake."

"Bring me closer."

"Please don't move him."

Marinette reached out and rested her hand on his wrist, careful not to accidentally nudge his arm. Her thumb rubbed over the frigid skin, trying to give him some heat.

Plagg awoke at the movement, flicking his eyes up. Many hands had come and gone in the few hours he and Gabriel had finally been allowed to see Adrien. Ever watchful, he took note of the nurses, and what they were doing, what they were checking, applying.

But seeing Marinette had confused him for a moment, because he hadn't recognized her immediately.

But then he saw Tikki on her lap.

"Pigtails?"

"Hi Plagg," though there wasn't much warmth in the greeting. She did scratch him between the ears with her finger. He only looked at her sadly.

"He's cold." She told the doctor.

"I can get him another blanket." He stated as he moved from behind her. "Stay put."

She studied Adrien's eyes, closed to slumber, but twitching slightly. The ECG graphed his steady heart beat, and the ventilator pumped air at a calm rate. Yes, he looked scary right now, but admittedly, he looked better than he had in the hell hole. He looked peaceful, comfortable, and not at all like he was fighting for his life, though he very obviously still was.

She leaned in and pressed a kiss to that sliver of skin. "I'm right here, Kitty. I want to stay with you, but I'm not allowed to." She wiped a gentle tear from her eye. "But I think we'll be together soon. Once you're healed enough. So get better soon, please."

Tikki floated from Marinette's lap and hovered over him. "Plagg? Where's the worst injury?"

"…I don't know." Said the kwami. "It's…it's all pretty bad."

"Probably his back." Provided Marinette. "It was right…right down to the bone."

Tikki nodded and flew over to his other side. Very gently, she nuzzled into his spine.

Adrien's eyes twitched more, before they settled.

"It probably didn't do much," Tikki stated. "But it will help."

"Would it help if you stayed with him?"

"He'd have to wear the earrings to get any benefits from me." She looked meaningfully to his ears, which were bright red in most spots, while the top of his left ear was gone, stitches in place. "I don't thing we should attempt that now."

Marinette moaned, feeling helpless.

But Plagg wouldn't stand it. "Hey, I've got some healing properties too, you know!" He floated into her face and nuzzled against her cheek, purring. The sound reverberated into her skin, her sinuses, her skull, her spine…she felt a little better. "I just have to keep purring. So tell someone to make sure I'm properly fed with cheese."

"Oh Plagg…I will. I absolutely will." Her voice filled with emotion.

"Oh kid…don't cry. I'm just trying to keep things light."

Doctor Boucher had returned to the room, but stayed in the doorway, watching with curiosity but privacy. When he noticed Marinette's tears, he approached her. "How is your pain?"

"I'm not ready to leave yet." She answered by deflecting.

"Okay. Just let me know." He unfurled the blanket he'd fetched, and carefully started to drape it over Adrien's legs.  
"His hands are cold." She argued.

"That's normal for someone with blood loss. Though he's had a transfusion and should be alright now, he's not moving, so his circulation isn't very good."

"But he's cold. Can't you cover him?"

"Not just yet. You can hold his hand though. Just watch the bandages."

Marinette said nothing, just held his fingers a little tighter.

She wanted to climb up on the bed with him, snuggle up under his chin, and press delicate kisses to his cheek. But hearing that it would be bad for him stopped her from just ignoring everyone and embracing him.

This wasn't fair.

"When do you think he'll wake up?"

Dr. Boucher sighed. "We'll keep him sedated a week, at least. Maybe more. We will bring him out of sedation for about an hour a day, but the goal is to keep his anxiety reduced, especially while he's on the ventilator."

"So I won't be allowed to see him." Marinette finished.

"Unfortunately, no. His father and Plagg will be here for him, though."

It was then that Marinette realized that Adrien wasn't wearing his Miraculous. "Plagg, where's the ring?"

"Gabriel has it."

"Shouldn't Adrien be wearing it?"

"You'll have to forgive me, Marinette." Said the doctor. "I'm the one that suggested he not give it back to him just yet. I worried that Adrien might try to transform at the first chance he was given. And given that _you did_, my theory is correct."

Marinette sighed, hating that she had been caught.

"You're not in trouble, and we don't blame you for doing it." The doctor clarified. "We just can't have either of you doing that. It won't help."

"I understand." She rubbed her thumb over Adrien's knuckles. "Thank you for letting me see him. I've been worried."

"Of course. What's your pain level?"

"Just a little longer, please."

"Alright."

It was then that nurse John came, accompanied by her parents, and a disheveled homeless man.

"Marinette! You shouldn't be out of bed!" Her mother scolded.

"She knows." Said Dr. Boucher. "But this is necessary to keep her calm. I'm watching her."

The nurse brought over a styrofoam cup with a bendy straw. "Here you are, Marinette."

"Thank you." She said, taking it skeptically.

Everyone watched as she popped the lid, shook the ice around, and smelled it. Then she sipped a little bit through the straw. At the relaxed look on her face, it was obvious she found the water to be clean. She popped the lid back on and sucked more down. "This is really good."

"It's just water," said Sabine, eyes watering.

"It tastes good."

The disheveled homeless man spoke. "I'm so glad to see you awake, Miss Dupain-Cheng. I hadn't get to check in on you since you were loaded into the ambulance."

She hunched her shoulders. "Who are you?"

He chuckled weakly, rubbing a hand over his short beard. "I'll admit I look pretty bad. But I didn't realize I was unrecognizable."

"It's the beard, Gabriel." Said Sabine. "It suits you though."

"Gabriel? Gabriel Agreste?"

"Who else would be here with Adrien?"

She frowned. "Don't know. Anyone else. Nathalie? The Gorilla? Never like you supported him before."

"Marinette…" Sabine chastised, horrified at her behavior.

But the Marinette from the torture chamber was not known for kindness or tact. She didn't flinch at her mother's rebuke.

"I suppose I deserve that." Gabriel said sadly. "Plagg has informed me that I…I may be a sociopath. This was something I wasn't aware of before. I'm trying to improve my behavior. I'm sorry if you felt like I neglected Adrien. Things are going to be different now."

Marinette cast her eyes over to Adrien, to her _husband_. "A shame this had to happen for you to see that."

"Marinette!" Sabine exasperated.

Marinette winced, as a headache started to grow, and her wounds ached.

"I think it's time we got you back." Said Dr. Boucher. "We'll get you some dinner too, hm?"

"I'm not hungry."

"Do you think you could choke down some soup? You really need to eat something."

"I said I'm not hungry!" She barked, triggering a coughing fit. The doctor simply rubbed her back as she rode it out. After it subsided, she sobbed. "I don't want to leave him!"

The doctor crouched at her side. "Marinette, I promise you, Adrien's not leaving this hospital without you. He's safe. You're safe. It'll only be for a little while, and then we'll put you in the same room together. Okay?"

She glared at him.

"But you're making yourself worse by staying here like this. You're so brave, and so smart…but let me take care of you for a little while, okay?"

A few more tears leaked out. "It hurts."

"Then let's get you back upstairs, and we'll give you pain killers, okay?"

"Okay."

"Thats a good girl!" He smiled.


	34. Crying

Walks into room. Vomits. Leaves.

—

Marinette was escorted back to her room. Her back throbbed and her throat burned with the need to cough. But she kept her head down, having nothing to say, and not wanting to see people watching her. She wasn't an exhibit.

Back in her room, John helped her back into bed, raising the back, allowing her to sit up.

Dr. Boucher brought a little cup with pills in it. "A cocktail, for the lady."

She swallowed them all with a swig of water.

Once settled, Sabine placed the Chat Noir doll on her lap. "Here darling, you must have dropped this earlier."

Marinette stared at the doll with watery eyes. It wasn't much, but it was a comfort to have him. She hugged him to her chest.

"One of those pills was a sleep aid. In about an hour, you'll start to feel drowsy, if you don't already. Plenty time to get some food in you."

She didn't fight. Didn't protest. Just let herself be strapped back into the bed, attached to all the monitors.

Another nurse came in, bringing in a tray with a bowl. "Are you ready for some chicken soup?" She asked with a perky chirp.

Marinette didn't respond as a bed table was swung in front of her, and the soup was placed in front of her. Soup with crackers, a cup with lime jello, and another cup with water.

It might as well be a five star meal from the best chef on earth with how her stomach rumbled. She took a careful spoonful, under the watchful gaze of the nurses, doctor, and her parents.

That immediately put her on edge.

She dropped the spoon back to the table. "I don't want it."

"Please eat it, Marinette. A little more," Dr. Boucher urged.

"You eat it first," she demanded.

"Ah, I see." The doctor nodded. "I would be paranoid too, if I was in your place. John, would you get me another spoon please?"

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. Marinette doesn't want to have another LSD trip from laced food. I don't blame her. So we'll put her at ease."

"Is that what's wrong?" Sabine asked her daughter. "You think they put something in the food?"

Marinette didn't answer, only stared hard at the doctor. "Why do you need another spoon?"

"You have a pretty severe case of pneumonia, Marinette." He answered calmly. "I don't want to get sick too. Then I won't be able to help you and Adrien."

Marinette unfurled her fists. "I'm sorry…I just—"

"You don't need to apologize to me, Marinette." Carefully, he sat down at her side and took her hand. "What you went through was extremely traumatizing. You are a different person now, with different goals, coping mechanisms, patience and tolerance threshold. You are still Marinette, at the core, but you're not going to react the way you used to, the way people expect you to."

Hearing it put into words eased not only Marinette, but Tom and Sabine.

"The most prevalent change I can tell right now, is that your trust for basically everyone has dropped. It makes sense, in the environment you were in, but I would really like you to communicate with me. I understand trust is earned, but I just want to make you better. Okay?"

Marinette considered this, gnawing at her bottom lip. She looked at Tikki. "Is he telling the truth?"

Tikki floated up in front of her face, and kissed her nose. "You woke up somewhere strange, in pain, and scared out of your mind. But this is a hospital. The same one that your grandpa stayed at for his heart surgery. You had to convince him that the technology in the room wasn't going to hurt him, and it '_was_ how it was done.' You remember, don't you?"

A tear made a track down her cheek as she nodded. "Yeah."

"I've been watching the whole time. Everyone has been gentle with you. There's nothing to worry about."

Marinette considered this, as every receptor in her brain told her to run run run.

John returned with a clean spoon, and handed it to the doctor.

Dr. Boucher scooped a bit of soup, showing Marinette the bite, then stuck it in this mouth. "Oh, wow. This is really good. I don't really care for chicken soup, but this is tasty. Nancy must be working today."

With no rational reason to refuse the food, Marinette picked her spoon up again and started to eat. The soup settled pleasantly in her empty stomach, warmth flowing through her with each cautious, shaking sip.

She glanced at the doctor, who had yet to say anything since she agreed to eat. "Are you going to tell me what's wrong with me?" She asked.

He smirked at her bluntness. "Physically, you're very weak. Dehydrated, malnourished , and your muscles have atrophied. You've got infection in the wounds on your feet and on your hand where you were branded, so we've got you on antibiotic for that and the pneumonia. The flagellation wounds on your back have been stitched up, and are healing very nicely. Other than that, we are monitoring the lasting affects of the strangulation and electrocution. Because you were strangled earlier in your capture and there's been no physical adverse effects except a rope burn scar, it's unlikely that any will emerge. But let us know if you feel any pain in your neck at any time."

"What kind of effects are you looking for?" She asked.

Dr. Boucher paused. "I hesitate to tell you, only because I don't want you to be paranoid, but I also want you to communicate with me. Any of these symptoms could be related to something else, and not necessarily to your strangulation."

"Okay."

"Raspy voice, difficulty breathing, coughing, difficulty swallowing, and nausea are already present from pneumonia. Please let me know if you you get headaches, hallucinations, dizziness, trouble using the bathroom, or if your tongue or lips feel swollen. As for the electrocution, your muscles might hurt or contract without your permission, but we're watching for seizures."

"I do have a headache. Right in the back of my head."

"Okay, I've given you some ibuprofen. That also could be stress related, or because your eyes aren't used to the lighting. Let me know if it persists. Anything else?"

"I don't think so."

"Alright, that's good then." Then he took her hand uninjured hand and squeezed. "But Marinette, please don't try to tough it out. If you feel pain, anywhere, let me know. I want you to relax and heal. We can help ease your pain, so you don't have to deal with it right now."

"I don't want to be drugged up."

"Would you rather be in pain?"

She didn't reply.

"I understand your hesitation. We'll try to find a balance."

Marinette's eyes started to feel heavy, but she reached for the jello cup. Still worried, she held it out to him so he could take a little bit to test. When he scooped a little out without hesitation, she deemed it safe to eat.

It was impossibly hard to watch your child being so on edge and distrusting to everyone. Sabine planned on bringing in homemade food for a while, at least as much as she could.

Finished with her meal, Marinette put the spoon down, and pushed the table away.

"Warm enough?" Asked John.

She nodded.

"Alright then, I'm glad you could choke that down. I'm proud of you, Marinette." Dr. Boucher praised.

_I'm proud of you._

Dr. Boucher was basically a stranger, but that struck a cord in her shriveled heart. "Thank you…" She whispered.

"Get some sleep. I'll check in on you in a few hours." He patted her hand and stood.

"We'll be here while you sleep," Tom assured. "Someone will always be here to keep watch. There's also police officers outside the door that refuse access to anyone not approved by us. You're safe, my little croissant."

She couldn't fight off her exhaustion anymore anyway, so she closed her eyes. A small warmth, she assumed was Tikki, settled on her hand. There was shuffling around the room, people leaving or settling into chairs. The door shut. A paper fluttered. A cough. A beep. A hum.

—

Only a few minutes later, after Marinette had fallen asleep, Dr. Boucher returned, with Gabriel Agreste with him. "Tom? Sabine? May I speak to you in the hall please?" He spoke softly.

They nodded and left the room, closing the door softly behind them. He led them a little ways down the hall, out of earshot of the police, for patient confidentiality.

"I must admit, I'm pleased with the progress Marinette is making physically. The fact she was able to sit up and eat on her own is encouraging. However, I am very concerned about her mental health."

"Absolutely!" Sabine agreed. "I've never seen my daughter act like that before! It was terrifying!"

"I had hoped that the behavior she had developed as a defense mechanism would go away once she was away from Salo. But it seems that she's adopted it permanently. Did you notice how quickly she ate her dinner?"

"She wolfed it down! Like—"

"Like she was afraid someone would take it away." He finished. "Mr. Agreste, it's likely that Adrien will be in this state of mind too. I'm not positive though. But I'd like you to be prepared."

"Understood," Gabriel nodded. "Is there anything we can do?"

Dr. Boucher thought for a moment. "It would be best to remind them of good things. Hobbies, favorite movies, favorite foods, things that they enjoy. They need to be able to have them and enjoy them, without the threat of them being taken away. That's a very simple place to start."

"We can do that!" Tom smiled, "We love having movie nights with Marinette! Adrien will fit right in!"

"That's the other thing I wanted to talk about." The doctor put his hands in his pockets. "The Marinette, and the Adrien you know…they're gone. These are two young adults that have been forced to mature and adapt to survive in grueling conditions. They will heal, and things will get better, but for a while, you probably won't recognize your children."

Sabine covered her mouth to hold back a sob.

"But, they are still your children, and you have a responsibility to love them. Without that love and support, they will not recover. They will have to find a new normal. And that may be completely different from what life used to be like. Don't force them to fit in any molds. Encourage them to do their best, but don't punish them for failing. I promise, they are going to punish themselves."

"What do you mean?"

"In all the hours of footage we analyzed, Salo hammered home the idea that they both failed Paris as heroes, and that everyone is disappointed in them. Of course we know that's not true, but it will take a while before either of them believe either of it."

"So…love them, spoil them, and be patient?" Tom summarized.

"Basically, yes. For now. Later down the line, we'll work on getting them to reevaluate their behavior. You should probably warn any visitors that may see them that they could be rude or blunt."

"We should be careful reintroducing Alya," Gabriel suggested. "From talking with her, Marinette was not happy with her the last time they spoke. It could be dicey."

"Who's Alya?" Asked the doctor.

"Marinette's best friend. Well…besides Adrien or Tikki. The Ladyblogger."

"Ah, then she'll also be vital to their recovery. If Marinette can see that her friend isn't disappointed in her, it should help. But we should gauge how Marinette feels about her first." He checked his watch. "I've still got to check on Adrien today. I think we're in a good place for now."

"Thank you Doctor. It's nice to have some guidance."

"Thank you for being so patient and willing! Some parents don't want to think about their children's trauma, or just belittle it."

"There's no way we could," stated Gabriel. "We _saw _what they went through."

"Yes, but seeing something and experiencing it first hand are two different things. And you could always turn off the screen."

No one argued against that.

—

Hours later, Marinette regained awareness. The room was silent, barring the humming of a machine nearby.

Opening her eyes, the lights were off, the room swept into a soft blue daylight. The bleak November sky was gray with rain.

She was alone, except for Tikki who slept soundly on her chest.

Obviously, time had marched on without her. Hours had passed. Maybe days. She couldn't tell. It hadn't felt like she had slept, the weariness still clinging to her like a wet blanket. But her parents had needs, and were thoughtful enough to take care of them while they assumed she'd be sleeping.

There wasn't as much panic in waking this time. She knew where Adrien was, and that he was safe. They were both safe. Though safe was a loose term. How long would it take before Salo found them again? Or Hawkmoth? Or even someone new? She had no energy to fight. Anyone could burst through that window or mow down the officers outside the door.

What if the police were in on it? What if they were waiting for the right opportunity?

Was this what her life was now? Just a constant state of anxiety? Preparing for the worse at any moment? Unable to rest, to trust, to laugh, and love? That wasn't a life.

She couldn't move. Her body was just too weak. Everything hurt and it was all overwhelming. How long would it be before she could walk? What about Ladybug? Master Fu would surely take Tikki away. She was surprised he hadn't yet. And then what? Everywhere she went, people would see her, and know only one thing about her:

The Ladybug that failed.

Tikki woke up to the small sniffles coming from Marinette. She blinked up at her charge and noticed a face full of tears. "Oh Marinette! Why didn't you say anything?! Where does it hurt? I can page a nurse!"

"No…" Marinette pleaded. "I don't want them."

"But…you're crying…"

"It's not physical…" She moaned. That was a lie, but the physical pain was only TV static in the turmoil in her head.

"Oh…do you want to talk about it?"

She shook her head. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I'm not upset by it. Is there anything I can do to help?"

Marinette closed her eyes, centering herself. What would make this better? What would help? "Could I transform?"

"You really shouldn't," Tikki winced. "Why do you want to?"

"I want to go to the bathroom, but I'm not strong enough without the suit. Just for a moment."

"We can get John in here, he'll give you a bed pan."

"Please don't make me do that, Tikki. I couldn't bare it." She whispered.

"Or maybe he could carry you?"

"Please Tikki…I just need to do this myself."

She looked so hesitant that Marinette was afraid she'd refuse. It didn't really matter what she said, since Marinette could transform anyway, but Tikki was already so disappointed by her, she didn't want to push it.

"Alright," Tikki finally said. "Just be careful."

"Thank you," she breathed. "Spots on."

Ladybug sat up in the bed, as the alarms started beeping again. She wasted no time in taking out her yo-yo, and hurling it into the bathroom to hook onto a railing. Then she stood, and used the line to propel her into the room, pulling the door closed behind her. She flicked the lock, muting the beeping from the other room.

With the lights off, she stumbled her way over to the bathtub, and crawled in. Then she dropped her transformation.

"Marinette?"

"It's…it's easier to think in the dark. Like this." She offered as an explanation. "Will you keep watch?"

She couldn't see Tikki's face in the pitch black, but assumed she was frowning. "Alright Marinette, but only for a little bit."

Then Marinette was alone.

She was back in that closet in the Catacombs. Back in the walls she had grown familiar with, back where things made sense. There was no future there. Just living day by day until death. Time was irrelevant. Just darkness and silence.

The door jiggled. "Marinette? Marinette are you in there?" Asked John.

She didn't answer. She wasn't there. She was in her cell.

But the jiggling stopped and John's voice was muted. He was talking to someone, probably Tikki.

But it didn't matter to her. She just wanted peace and quiet.

"Marinette, you can't stay in there," John urged. "I'm going to get the key, and bring you back out, okay? I really need you to stay in bed, hon."

"Leave me alone!" She screamed. Her throat burned with the effort, bringing tears to her eyes.

She hated this. The constant surveillance, no privacy, no control! She just wanted it to be over! All of it!

The door jiggled again, and swung open slowly, before the lights flicked on, hurting her eyes. "Turn it off!" She begged. "Turn it off!"

Darkness again, and just a line of light from the cracked open door.

"Marinette?" Her mother asked.

She sobbed, hating the concern and love dripping from her.

"Marinette, darling. What's wrong? Why are you hiding in the bathtub?"

"I…I don't know. It—It just…felt right. I'm…homesick?"

"Homesick?"

"For…for my closet."

Understanding hit Sabine hard as she gasped. But she couldn't fault her daughter. It probably did feel weird being out. Slowly, Sabine lifted Marinette up so that she could slide into the tub with her. Marinette was just skin and bones, and fit between her legs so she could lean back and use her mother as a pillow.

For a long few minutes, Sabine just held her, letting her cry as she pet her head.

"I want to die." Marinette breathed.

There were no words. What could she say? 'It'll be okay?' That seemed so far off. And honestly, if she was in the same place, she'd want to die too.

"I'm so scared." Marinette continued. "Mom, I'm so scared."

"What about?" Sabine asked softly, kissing her forehead.

"What's going to happen to me? Is Salo going to find me again? What about Hawkmoth?"

"You don't have to worry about them," she hurried to dissuade her fears. "Salo is in police custody, and Hawkmoth retired."

"How do you know? Salo's gotten away with everything! What's keeping her from getting away this time?!"

"Shh, shh, it's okay. The police chief talked to us in person. Salo is cooperating with authorities. Apparently…she's a wreck."

"…what? Why?"

"I don't know. Apparently, she's been begging to go to prison. He didn't give me full details, but she's not a threat to us. To you."

Marinette sighed, letting this information sink in. And Hawkmoth retiring? That seemed unlikely.

"Do you want to go back to bed?"

Marinette shook her head. "I can't…I can't go back out there."

"Why not?" Her tone was just soft curiosity, not demanding of answers.

"Because I don't know what to do!" She sobbed. "I was Ladybug! The girl with all the solutions! But I don't even know what's happening tomorrow! I don't know if I can go back to school or go to college or have a job! I can't survive in the world like this!"

"Shh, hey hey, there's no reason to get worked up. School and work can come later, if you want them too. You're not going back tomorrow. Don't think about that."

Marinette swallowed and nodded in understanding.

"Here, how about this: What do you want to do?"

"I don't know."

"Just one thing. An activity, or a place you want to visit. Doesn't have to be right now."

"I…I just want to be with Adrien."

"Do you want to marry him?"

"Aren't I already married to him?"

"On paper. But don't you want that ceremony at the cottage?"

She nodded. "I do. I do want that cottage!"

"Then that's one thing to look forward to."

"But that's so far away! What if—what if I can't make it? Everything hurts! And I'm so ugly! I don't want to marry him like this!"

"Hey, shh…" Sabine petted her. "We're taking deep breaths okay?"

Marinette choked a few times, but started to calm down.

"Do you know what today is?"

"No."

"Today is thanksgiving."

"And?"

"And that means, tomorrow, we start getting ready for Christmas. We'll have hot cocoa, and we'll set up the tree. We'll watch old movies and eat popcorn and put puzzles together. And Adrien will be with us too. You can snuggle together under a fuzzy blanket while watching the snow fall."

Marinette hummed, eyes closed to imagine the scene.

"And your father will hold a sprig of Mistletoe over your heads and make you kiss."

She giggled.

"And Nonna and Nonno will come over, and we'll bake Christmas cookies."

"The first batch of dough we eat raw." Marinette declared.

"That's right!"

"And then on Christmas eve, we look for the pickle."

"Absolutely! We'll see if Gabriel will let us hide it at the mansion. I think your father has exhausted all the hiding spots at our house."

"He hid it in the couch last year._ In the couch!_"

Sabine laughed. "Not as bad as when he put it in the pickle jar."

"That took hours to find!"

Hope surged through Sabine. Though they were snuggled up in a bathtub in a hospital, this was a moment she recognized her daughter. This was reminding her of the good times. This was doable.

"So…you'll hang around for another month?"

Marinette sighed again, this time with content. "You know what? I think I can now."

—

His eyes were caked with crud. Even the soft light was too bright. Everything hurt and ached. It took effort to even open his eyes, feeling like they were glued shut. He twitched his fingers, feeling the soft fabric of a blanket, and what felt like a stuffed animal in one hand.

All he could move was his eyes, which blinked rapidly.

He was in a room. Well, probably a much bigger room, but his area was sectioned off with curtains. He was surrounded with various machines, and he felt something in his mouth and down his throat. It didn't really hurt, but it wasn't comfortable.

There was a man sitting nearby, with graying hair and a unkept beard. He wore designer glasses and a nice t-shirt, but still looked like a disheveled creature who was being haunted.

It took Adrien far too long to realize it was his father.

Which surprised him, honestly. He wondered if Gabriel had it in him to be worried about his son. He hadn't come for them, after all. But perhaps even Gabriel Agreste, in all his infinite wealth and fame, was helpless in this crisis.

Well, that identified one person around him, and given Gabriel's state, he likely wasn't a threat. Likely.

There were voices from beyond the curtain, but nothing in his sight, as limited as it was. He found it impossible to move his neck.

"Adrien?" Said his father's voice.

Adrien flicked his gaze over, just tiredly examining the man.

Gabriel opened his mouth to speak, but thought better of it. Instead, he took the stuffed animal away and held it in front of his face.

It wasn't a stuffed animal at all. It was a little Ladybug doll. Gabriel pitched up his voice, pretending to be Ladybug.

"Good morning kitty cat! We're in a hospital! I'm sleeping upstairs. You were in pretty rough shape when we came here, so you're under constant surveillance. It's really super important that you don't try to move. We'll be together soon though, so just try to relax. I love you!" And he made the doll kiss Adrien on the forehead.

Adrien looked at him blankly, he was not amused.

"Sorry…I just thought that would be a better way to break the news to you." And Gabriel returned the doll to Adrien's hands. "She made that, you know? Very creative girl that Marinette."

He agreed, of course. But now he had answers. And now he could get back to sleeping.

And so he did.

—


	35. Burning

I had the flu last week! It was super not fun! Make sure to wash your hands and stay home as much as you can! Besides the _big bad_ the flu is also afoot and it sucks!

As I stated in an earlier chapter, I'm a Christian. Because of the nature of this story, I wanted to incorporate some elements of my faith into it. I find it weird to impress my faith on fictional characters, so I usually don't, but my God is a healer. It makes sense that He'd be mentioned. I'll probably keep it kind of subtle.

Not this chapter though. THIS ONE GOES HARD. STRAP IN BOYS!

It's also REALLY GROSS at parts. Sorry in advance.

(Also, this is creative writing, I'm not really up to theology debates. Please and thank you in advance.)

* * *

"End of the road." Lady Lacrima said, her face blank and emotionless.

Salo pulled her hand, or rather her wrist, to her chest. "How the hell did he find you?"

Lady Lacrima shrugged. "You must have gotten sloppy."

"Or you gave him clues! I should have killed you weeks ago!"

"You should have," Lady Lacrima agreed. "You should have let me die with compassion in my heart. But you didn't. You created a monster. Two of them."

Salo spat at her. "You're a product of Hawkmoth! I only avenged my Eddy!"

"After all this, you're still justifying your heinous actions. You're so lost in your depravity, that you can't even see how low you've sunk."

"So what now?" She sneered. "Now that the roles are reversed, what are you going to do?"

Lady Lacrima reach out and caressed the woman's face, leaving a smear of blood on her cheek. "The roles are far from reversed, Salo." She stated, holding out her arms. A buster sword, one bigger than any human could wield, materialized in her hands. "I'm more powerful than you could ever hope to be. And you…there's no punishment on Earth that befits you."

"Will you kill me then?"

"That depends…do you believe in God?"

Salo scoffed. "What are you, my Nonna? Go ahead, kill me. Let your God punish me."

Lady Lacrima adjusted the sword in her hand. "He'll get his turn."

Salo's lip trembled as she attempted to scoot away.

"It's funny. Without those glasses, you look almost human. And all this time, I thought you were a soulless machine. But if you have a soul…you can burn in hell." And she slammed the blade down, down through flesh and bone and into the cement, separating her legs from her torso.

The woman screamed in agony, clawing at the ground to escape.

Claws ripped into her stomach, pulling her intestines out and spilling them on the floor.

"What do you think Salo? Should we leave you like this?"

Salo didn't answer, only squealed and cried out as she writhed on the floor like a worm. Her vision was blurred, but she could see the lights above her head.

Then there was a silhouette, holding out long claws. Claws that pulsed and churned with dark energy. They came closer and closer to her face.

It burned. Hotter than any fire she'd felt before. She heard her skin sizzling and cracking.

Then there was nothing.

No sound, no light, nor breath in her lungs. No emotion fleeting through her head.

And yet—

She was awake. More awake than she'd ever been before. It was like she had been dreaming all this time, and she was finally aware of all that was happening around her.

"Where am I?" She asked, noting the white space around her. Not the billowing clouds she'd seen in Sunday school illustrations as a child. Just a vast infinite of nothingness.

_"It has many names, ones in each dialect. We like to call it Hades, or Sheol. Though to you, it would be Death._"

"I'm in...I'm in death?"

"_Correct. For death is not a natural state, it is only a temporary condition of the fall."_

"The fall?"

The voice hummed, patiently answering her question. _"The fall of mankind. In the Garden of Eden. You know the story, Bianca."_

"I—I do." She admitted. "I just didn't think—"

_"That it was real?"_

"Yeah…"

_"What did you think would happen when it was all over?"_

She shrugged. "That's just it. That it would be over. There was nothing else."

_"You are a product of your time. Your eyes were closed to the truth. You had plenty of chances to open them, but they remained firmly shut."_

Bianca raised her hands, finally looking at what had become of her body. No scars, no wrinkles, no calluses, just sooth skin, like a newborn baby.

"Who are you? Can I see you?" She finally asked.

_"We've never talked, but I'm a good friend of yours. I've been with you a long time." _

"Are you my guardian angel?"

The voice laughed. _"No. I'm not an angel at all. I'm an antagonist to the angels."_

"A demon?"

_"No no, but you're getting warmer,"_ it sang, _"I will show myself soon, but my name is Death."_

Bianca blinked. "Wait, I thought I was…in Death. I'm in you?"

_"I am the state, place, and Lord of Death. I am here, walking with you, all around you, and I am you. But it is beyond mortal understanding."_

Bianca just took a shaky breath, resolved that this was bigger than her, for once.

_"You are receiving a wonderful gift, Bianca. A look at the future. Those who perish permanently are not provided with this opportunity."_

"…have I not perished permanently then?"

_"Mostly likely not. In the world of free will, there is still a chance that you, and several others will return to Earth for a few more pitiful years."_

"Because…of Ladybug and Chat Noir? Their reset button?"

_"That is correct. But until then, you are separated from your body. And I will show you what happens in the end." _

Bianca swallowed as wispy white rolled away. The sky was rolled back like a scroll, displaying the mighty heavens in all their glory. The ground quaked and cracked, falling away to show a growing hoard of lethargic souls, shuffling on with no destination. Bianca stood above on a pillar, just observing them.

_"These are the others in Death, they are just like you. But they won't be returning to Earth. Their lives are over, and ahead of them is judgement."_

"And then?"

_"Two options. Up…" _

Within the vastness of the sky, a city floated. Walls made of jasper, gates of pearl, and twelve foundations stacked on top of each other, each made of a solid precious metal. There were no lights, as darkness couldn't penetrate the walls. It was blindingly bright and hurt to look at.

_"Or down." _

The pillar grew, twisting to peer over the edge of the world. Below, she saw a pit of fire and smoke, covered with an ancient seal. Inside the pit sat a beast with ten horns and seven heads, with crowns on each head. It looked up to her, licking her lips in patience.

"What is that?"

_"The beast which devours all and demands worship. One day, when the seal is broken, the beast will go to earth. He will be exalted as a king above all, and everyone will love and adore him. He is a deceiver."_

"People will worship that?" She asked, incredulous. "Out of fear?"

_"Out of blindness. The beast will not appear on Earth like this. May he appear as a man, or as a temptation? That is not for you to know."_

The Beast paced in the pit, its fourteen eyes never leaving her.

_"Once it's reign begins, it cannot be stopped. A prophesy will come to pass, and the wrath of God will pour out on the Earth. After a thousand years of peace, this Beast, the Devil himself, and I will be cast into the Lake of Fire. Those in my arms will be judged, and if their names are not found in the Book of Life, they too will be cast down." _

The pillar grew again, the ground tilting and shifting to move the pit out of the way. And beneath that was a horrible chasm, stretched out for miles and miles, though she could still see the divide clearly. On the other side, a lake, vast and sprawling, but instead of water, it churned with fire. Flames rolling and burning, on and on, hot, and unbearably agonizing.

"And then what?" She breathed. "We burn up, and then are no more?"

_"No." _Said Death. _"There is no end to the burning. It will go on, forever and ever. You will beg for relief, but you'll never get it. Every second, you will want to die, but this is the second death. It lasts forever." _

"But that's thousands of years from now!" She cried, trying to dissuade her panic. "What about now? Do I wander like the rest of them?" She gestured down to the wandering souls below her.

Death smiled. _"I suppose you'll just have to find out for yourself." _

The pillar crumbled, pulling her down to the crowd, though no one seemed to pay any mind. Though as her feet touched to cool ground, things started to slip from her mind.

She bumped into a soul. A man who she recognized. "Harken! Oh it's nice to see someone I know! We have to stick together, the Miraculous Cure is going to take us back soon."

But Harken didn't respond, only pushed passed her and continued listlessly onward.

"Death? Why didn't he recognize me? He died only a minute before me!"

But Death did not respond, so she was on her own.

So she wandered among the spirits. Not really knowing where she was going, or what would happen. Was this it? Milling about for hours until her return to Earth?

That didn't seem so terrible.

She wasn't calm, but not panicked either. Nor scared nor bored, just…there. Like a blank slate of her emotions. Even the last few moments of her life on Earth began to slip her mind. She passed faces she swore she knew, names that where common to her.

But none of that seemed important now. Nothing did.

Then with a step, she was in front of a podium, one so tall it loomed over her. Standing at it, was a living creature with the face of a human, with seven wings and seven eyes. It wore pure white linen and a gold sash. On the podium rested a huge book, thicker than she was tall, and four times as wide.

"Name?"

She blinked, the clarity returning to her mind. "Uh it's Bianca. Bianca Furtoli."

The being flipped through the pages. Then opened another book, and another. A scroll unrolled from the surface and came cascading down to her, unraveling next to her and continuing off into the distance.

"Your name is not written in the Book of Life." The creature said simply.

"And?"

"And so The Way is closed to you, for you are unrepentant, and your eyes are closed. Your lips only hold blasphemy, and your throat is like an open grave."

"Are you Death?" She asked.

"No," it said, "But it will be coming for you soon. I am an Angel of the Lord."

"Funny, I thought Angels were supposed to be beautiful."

"What would there be to fear in beauty?"

"Why do you think people fear me?" She asked, hand on her hip.

"Humans fear you, Bianca, because your reputation proceeds you. You speak with a silver tongue, convincing crowds, manipulating multitudes, and preying on vulnerabilities, like a lion stalks his prey."

"You're all so poetic up here."

"And you don't fear what's to become of you?"

"I was killed by an akuma. Once Ladybug does her little magic spell, I'll pop right back on Earth. It'll only be a few minutes now. Death told me so."

"Death must be fond of you. It rarely talks to mortals. It does not discriminate. But take heed child, it is not a friend, for it works for the Lord, but it should not exist."

Bianca frowned. "It gave me more answers than you're giving me."

"What makes you think you're worthy of answers?"

"Because my Nonna said I was made in the image of God. That's why."

"A good answer." The angel mused.

"Then tell me how I get my name written in the Book."

"Ask your Nonna."

She frowned. "I prayed that silly little prayer as a girl. I did exactly what I had to do."

"You were a child, and had the faith of a child. The repentance of a child. But you have grown, and you haven't lived up to your vow. You prayed to accept the sacrifice that Jesus the Messiah made for you, and yet you trampled upon all he asked of you to do."

"What did he ask me?"

"To follow him, and be like him."

"Well, no one's perfect."

"He's not asking for perfection. He's asking for you to be forgiving, kind, patient, loving, gentle. To have self-control. To be a light to others in the fallen world." The book slammed shut. "Not to torture children."

"Says a lot coming from a god that allows wars to be waged. Cancer to run rampant. Hunger and disease to plague half the world. If he's so powerful, how has he allowed all this to happen, huh? How come he didn't stop me sooner, if I'm so bad, huh?"

The angel shook his head, "O Childish Blasphemer, who are you to know the infinite ways of God? How are you, a mere infant in the eyes of the world, supposed to understand these concepts beyond your vapid existence? For now, these horrors persist, but one day, they will cease forever. But the likes of you are unlikely to ever believe that. In the last days, you will be gnashing your teeth, and cursing God, even when he gives you plenty of opportunities to repent."

"What will happen to me now then? Will you continue to berate me until I go back to Earth? Doesn't seem very loving to me."

"I have nothing more to say to you, Bianca. Death will fetch you now."

The Angel moved one of its wings, and from behind it came a pale horse with a rider. The horse was sickly, with a tail made of serpents, and with a mouth of a lion that spewed smoke and fire.

The rider wore fiery red armor, with accents of yellow sulfur. He had a sickle in one hand, and a whip in the other.

The horse whinnied, thunder roaring from its jaws, instilling Bianca with fear.

"Can I run?" She asked the Angel.

"You can try."

And so she did. Though there was no where to run in this vast expanse where Death could not find her.

Bianca was halted by the whip cracking around her throat, though the rider never stopped his gallop, and dragged her away. She flailed around, choking as the sky turned black as sack cloth and the moon turned red as blood. She cried as the flesh ripped from her body and blood streaked behind her, carving her path. The many eyes of the wandering souls around her watched as she was stripped naked in all her shame. She was swallowed by the darkness, not even the light of fire illuminating the writhing floor beneath her.

The smell of rot and decay was strong, as vomit crawled up her throat and out. Maggots crawled over her, making a home in her wounds, her ears, her mouth, her eyes. Anywhere they could crawl, they did. Every bite, every pinch, she felt. There was no blurring from one to the other, she felt it all. And all she could do was scream.

She was left to rot, tormented for hours, perhaps days. Flames burst up from below, doing nothing to the worms, but roasting her alive. Burning, agonizing, blistering pain. She rolled around, trying to get relief, but there was just none to be had.

The fire was intense, and she laid there, cooking like a piece of meat on a grill. It was so hot she couldn't move. So hot she couldn't think. She gnashed her teeth and screamed and cried on and on.

"Death!" She begged. "Please! Please show me mercy!"

But Death did not answer, and did not show her mercy.

"Water! Please…just a little water…"

Finally, Death appeared on the horse, trampling over her. "_Water? You murderer, you rapist, you liar, you thief! Water is what you want?"_

"Please! Please I can't do this!"

"_Where were you when _they _begged for water? When they begged for peace? Where were you when they begged for time and patience? You had no mercy in life, so why should you receive it in death?_"

"Please God! God make it stop!"

—

One moment, she was shrieking in agony, the next, her consciousness melted and she laid on cold metal. Her breath bounced off the surface in front of her. She reached her hand out, touching the sides of the metal box she rested in. A coffin?

Did that mean she was going to suffocate and die again?

She was going to—

Burn.

Burn.

Burn.

The tears streaked across her cheeks as the memories of that torture returned to her. She had been eaten alive by maggots, and burned. Burned. Burned. It did happen. Indisputably. The wounds were gone, and she was wearing the leather clothes she had been wearing in the catacombs, when she was killed.

Miraculous Cure must have brought her back.

But how long did she have?

She cried out in horror.

A light shone down by her feet, before the surface she was laying on rolled out, and she found herself in a room.

"Bianca Furtoli?" A police officer asked.

She just stared at him for a moment before weeping. "Please! Please help me! I don't want to die! I don't want to go back there!"

He turned on the radio on his lapel. "Havoc here, I've got Furtoli. She's just like the others."

Bianca reached out and grabbed his arm. "I am back now, aren't I? This is Earth? Paris?"

He pried her hands off. "Ms. Furtoli, I'm going to need you to calm down. Yes, you were dead, and now you're alive again. I'm sure this must be hard for you—"

"Where's Marinette? Where's Adrien? Please, I need to see them!"

"You don't get to know that information." He said sternly.

"I need to ask forgiveness! Please, I beg you!"

"Sit down." He demanded.

"What's going to happen to me?! Where am I?!"

"Likely, you'll be going to prison. If not a mental hospital."

"Will there be a priest there? I must talk to a priest! Please! I went to hell! I was burning in hell!"

"You know what?" He asked shortly. "I think you completely deserve that after what you did to those kids."

Bianca fell to her knees and sobbed, not even trying to hide her shame or guilt. She just wept and wept.

She wept when the handcuffs went on her wrists. She wept when she was read her rights, and as she was loaded into the car. She cried herself to sleep that night, and every night for the next few weeks. She spoke to none of Edward Savauge's men. She had no contact with family.

Fear is a terrible state to live in. And for Bianca Furtoli, it meant every day, every hour, she was preparing to return to that awful fire. She would not rest until she found a way to repent.

And for a woman who believed she was a god, that was a long way off.

—

Marinette awoke to a cool hand on her forehead. She shivered under her blankets, but her face felt so warm.

"Hi there, Ladybug." Said John, setting a cup of water on her table. "You've got a little bit of a fever. That's expected, and it's not too high."

"Cold…" She breathed in her half awakened state.

"Of course. I'll get you a blanket in a second. How is everything else feeling? How's your pain?"

"I can handle it. It's mild."

"Okay, I'm glad to hear that." He stepped out of the room briefly, only to return with a soft blanket. "Here we go, nice and warm." He unfurled it, and brought it up to her chin. It was fresh from the dryer, and nice and toasty. "Better?"

"Much."

"I've got some water here for you. Try to drink a little more before going back to sleep, okay?"

"Okay."

"That's a good girl. I'll be back to check on you periodically."

"John?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you. For everything."

He smiled at her and squeezed her hand. "Anything for my hero."


	36. Visiting

Waking up was slowly becoming Adrien's least favorite activity. Of course, that was shortly followed by falling back to sleep. He was in a state of barely wakefulness, while also being too tired to sleep. His mouth was dried out and scratchy, and the tingling sensation of numbness had settled into his limbs.

Breathing was still difficult. He knew that the tube in his throat was supposed to be helping with that, but it just sucked. It all sucked. Everything hurt, and he felt disgusting, and his nose itched.

Was this his existence from now on? He didn't know if he could bare it.

The doctor was standing in front of him. "Hi Adrien, how are you feeling today?"

How was he supposed to answer that? With a moan? A smile?

"Wink once for yes, and twice for no."

Wink.

"Excellent. Now I know you're uncomfortable, but we need to wake you up for a little bit. In about an hour, we'll sedate you again."

Oh so he wasn't even sleeping on his own? Damn.

"Are you warm enough?"

Wink.

"Are you thirsty?"

Wink.

"Yeah, I'm sure your mouth is dry too. But you can't take any fluids by mouth right now. You have a feeding tube in your mouth, and a nasotracheal tube in your nose so you can breathe. Then we have an IV for fluids. Because you're thirsty, that's a sign that I can up your fluid intake."

Adrien closed his eyes, emotion building behind his eyelids.

He didn't want this.

"We're going to get some food in you too, while you're awake. It might feel a little awkward because you won't be swallowing on your own, but you have to eat."

It not like Adrien could protest.

So food was forced down the tube in his throat by a pump. It wasn't a lot, but it helped to ease the pain in his stomach.

"There's someone who's been dying to see you. Well, he's been here for a while, but he wants you to see him," Said the doctor. "Are you up for a guest?"

No. He wasn't. He didn't want anyone to see him.

Unless it was Marinette. In which case, yes.

Wink.

Instead, a black blur floated in front of his face. "Hey kid," Plagg greeted, with a soft voice full of affection.

Looking into Plagg's infinite green eyes, Adrien felt a hurricane of emotions. Feelings of abandonment, betrayal, grief, and failure. Of sorrow and anger, confusion and hatred.

It was awful and unfair. Plagg hadn't done anything wrong, and Adrien knew that in his head.

But trauma messes with the brain.

Adrien clenched his eyes shut, as tears leaked out.

"I missed you," Plagg said, nuzzling against his cheek.

_Where were you?!_ Adrien screamed in his head, _I needed you!_

"You're so brave, Adrien."

But Adrien didn't want to hear it. He was so lost in his hurt, he couldn't bare it. He swatted Plagg away, feebly.

The Kwami sunk to the mattress, staring at his charge. This was not the tearful reunion he expected. "Adrien?" He whispered.

The boy kept his eyes shut as tears continued to slip out.

The doctor carefully wiped his face. "Alright, that's enough for today." He urged.

Plagg disappeared, hiding somewhere out of sight, and that was just fine with Adrien.

"That wasn't very nice, Adrien." Gabriel scolded.

Ugh. He wanted to talk to his father even less. Especially right now. Why was he even here? Wasn't he profoundly disappointed in him already? Was he a glutton for punishment?

"Plagg has been here all along. He's been worried sick. I've been worried sick."

Yeah right.

Adrien rolled his eyes and turned his face towards his pillow. This was unfair, having to listen to this, not being allowed to leave. Not being able to defend himself.

"Mr. Agreste," the doctor interrupted. "Adrien's heart rate is accelerating. We're trying to keep him calm. Perhaps now is not the time for a lecture."

"Of course. I'm sure he's just confused."

Confused? No, he was perfectly aware of what was going on. He was in a hospital, bound to a bed, and being prepared to fit right back into the peg he didn't fit anymore. He could see it unfolding around him.

And it was maddening.

"I can see you're feeling tired. Ready to go back to sleep?"

Please. Please for the love of God.

Wink.

"Alright. Just try to relax and take a deep breath, counting down from ten.

1…

2…

3…

Well it didn't work, because here he was awake again.

"Good morning Adrien, how are you today?"

Again, he couldn't talk. Hadn't they just had this conversation? Perhaps not, considering the doctor had been wearing a blue shirt yesterday, and today he was wearing a red one.

Had he slept that hard?

"Are you cold?"

Wink wink.

"Are you hot?"

Now that he thought about it, he was stifling under these blankets.

Wink.

The doctor rolled back the top layer.

Again, he was force fed some unidentifiable substance through a feeding tube, and he was asked a dozen yes or no questions.

"I have some more visitors for you. If you're up for it."

Why not? It's not like he was really given a choice.

But when Tom Dupain came into view, with a warm and tender smile on his lips, Adrien relaxed.

"Hey kiddo, look at you! You've got some color in your cheeks!" He said softly, brushing his thumb over his forehead.

That felt nice.

Sabine was up further by his head. "We've been with Marinette most of the time, but when the doctor said you were going to wake up for a little bit, we just had to come say hi!" She was lightly scratching his scalp.

That felt really nice.

Now these were parents. Always a warm welcome, full of hugs, ready to stuff him full of carbs. Whenever he had come over to Marinette's house, they had both asked about his day, his well-being. It was everything he craved in his own father.

They were a comfort. The comfort of having a mom and dad around when you didn't feel well. Though they couldn't necessarily make the pain go away, the kiss on the head was soothing.

"Marinette's sitting up now and eating on her own." Sabine said, as she squeezed his hand. "Isn't that just wonderful? She still sleeps most of the time, but that's really good."

It hurt to hear about his lady. Hurt to hear and not see.

"She came to see you a few days ago," said Tom. "When you were severely unstable instead of mostly unstable." He joked. "She really misses you."

And he missed her. Even though they were mostly separated in the catacombs, she was still with him in experience. The fear for her safety, wondering if she was safe, it kept her close when he couldn't be with her. Her voice from the adjacent cell, her hand in his...

What a horrible thing to bond over.

"She'd come see you every day if she could." Tom insisted, "but the doctors want you both to stay as calm as possible. Especially you. But it won't be long until we move you into the same room."

Sabine swept the bangs from his forehead. "And Marinette is really looking forward to spending the Christmas season with you. Hot cocoa, cookies, evenings in front of the fire and watching the snow fall..."

All things he had seen in movies, but nothing he had emotional attachment to. Maybe having them around for the season would make things more bearable, but he doubted Sabine had any idea how unmotivated the holiday made him.

"You're so strong." Sabine whispered, before kissing his forehead. "You're fading fast, but just know that we'll be checking in on you when we can."

Adrien felt a tear run down his cheek.

What did he do to deserve such love? Did they just love Marinette so much that it overflowed onto the people she loved? Was that what a parent's love was like? Or what it should be like?

With one last squeeze to his hand, they left. Their departure was foggy, as the drugs started to kick in again.

"Just sleep Adrien, you're doing so well," praised the doctor.

1…

2…

3…

And then he was awake again. And the process repeated himself. Hot? Wink wink. Cold? Wink. Blankets. Food.

Guest?

Wink.

This time, it was someone he was unfamiliar with. A woman with short gray hair, stout, Coke-bottle glasses.

"Well hello there, Adrien. Adrien Agreste, the one and only! How're you feeling sweetie?"

Oh, so this was a fan then? Or perhaps another nurse?

"My name is Dr. Robin Zollar, I'm a board certified clinical psychologist, and I specialize in the treatment of physical and emotional trauma in youth. I'm going to be working with you and Marinette going forward."

Her voice sounded so familiar to him. Who did she remind him of?

"I know it's kind of a kick in the pants not being able to talk things out right now, but I just came to introduce myself and let you know I'm here for you."

It was a cartoon character, for sure. An older woman in a cartoon...

"I'll be keeping an eye on your recovery, and when you can talk, I'll be right here to listen. And if you don't want to talk about it right away, you don't have to. I won't judge, I'm just here to help."

Ah yes. The fairy godmother from Cinderella. An odd connection, but it felt accurate.

"What you've both been through is extremely traumatic, and it's one that no one else can sympathize with. From here on out, you're going to have to learn what your new normal is. Don't expect to get right back to where you were. You need to be patient with yourself and know your limits. Most of all, I want you to talk out what you're feeling. Don't bottle stuff up, though it might be easy to do so."

What, no bippity boppity boo?

"You have a great support network here. It'll be really easy to shut everyone out, but I recommend against that."

A strong support network? Where was that network the rest of his life? When his mother died? Through all those years of grieving and neglect? When he _asked _for therapy?

Where was the comfort then? He had asked for help. And he had been told he didn't need it. It took the trauma to be public to get help.

And that was bullshit.

"Is that something you're interested in? Wink once for yes, twice for no."

Wink wink.

The woman nodded. "Okay. Well, if you change your mind, your father will get in touch with me."

Yeah right. If he changed his mind, his father will ridicule him for it. 'Why didn't you take it before?' He'd ask, 'it's been long enough now. You don't need it anymore.'

But it's not like it would help anyway.

The psychologist bid him farewell while he was lost in his thoughts, and soon he was put back to sleep again.

The next morning, while felt like a minute later, Adrien blinked his eyes open, seeing Doctor Boucher nearby.

But there was someone else too. A warm, familiar face that he hadn't expected to see.

Nino.

Nino was smiling at him. Just a patient, friendly smile.

Adrien hated it. And he hated that he didn't know why.

Nino rested a hand on his shoulder, rubbing a thumb back and forth over his collarbone. He comforted him while he was fed, and all his vitals were checked. Then the doctor backed off.

"Hey bro, you look like death." He said it with a laugh, trying to make a joke. To loosen him up as always. To bring laughter and happiness to his dull, gray, lonely life.

"I mean, you look better than when you were brought here. Got a little color in your cheeks. Well, your face in general, I can't really see your cheeks."

Right.

"Chloe really wanted to come, but your dad was afraid she would jump on you in her excitement."

That was probably true. He didn't really want to face Chloe right now anyway.

Nino swallowed thickly, and when he spoke, his voice was filled with emotion. "I really missed you, Adrien. You're my best friend, my brother…the best person I know." He sniffed. "I want you to be happy, you know? I want…to help you. And I'll do anything for you. You know that, right?"

There was a tickle on the back on his head. A memory locked away that was demanding to be recalled. A moment on a rooftop, standing in the drizzling rain. Nino on the ground, terrified, staring up at him with nothing but fear.

_"Hey, hey dude…come on man…you didn't know."_

Shame. That's what he felt. He had hurt his best friend, though he couldn't remember the specifics. But why wouldn't be feel shame? The whole world saw him naked, crawling on the ground, wallowing in his filth and crying crying crying…

Wasn't Nino embarrassed by him? Wasn't he disgusted? Everyone else was.

He had to be faking it. Cutting him off like he wanted to would make him feel too guilty. That had to be it.

Who would want to be friends with him?

Nino kept talking, but Adrien didn't want to hear anymore. So he closed his eyes and pretended to fall asleep.

Eventually he left, by suggestion of the doctor, and the room went quiet.

Every once in a while, he'd hear the flip of a piece of paper, and the beep of a machine. Cracking one eye open, he saw his father reading a magazine. The lights were dimmed, and they were alone.

The doctor hadn't put him back under for sedation.

Which meant he could finally rest without the jarring sensation of the scene changing every hour, but it also meant he had to fall asleep on his own. It _also_ meant he had time to think. And only think.

His pain was low, but with each passing minute, it was starting to rise again.

It would be really nice to lay on his other side. Ugh, but he was too weak to even try.

God his throat was dry.

His father flipped another page. Why wouldn't he just go home? Why was he here? Pretending to care?

A throat cleared, but it wasn't Gabriel's.

Adrien raised his eyes to the door, where a figure in black leather stood.

Adrien's throat was already dry, and he almost gagged on his feeding tube.

"Relax, it's just me." Said the figure, becoming more visible.

Chat Noir had come to visit him.

Wait.

He rubbed his thumb over his ring finger, not feeling his Miraculous.

"Nah, don't worry. I'm a hallucination born of a lot of pain meds and trauma. I don't think the doc ever had a time to explain that to you."

So he was crazy now?

"No, you're not crazy. My visits will fade with time. But you have to talk somehow."

To who? Himself?

"Yeah. Better than no one. Now, I know what you're thinking. Why Chat? Why not regular Adrien? It's because you don't want to be Adrien right now."

True.

"But Chat's always been your creative outlet. Your source of bravery, your fun side. Maybe you'll listen to me better."

Listen to him? What did he have to listen to?

"Your attitude stinks," Chat said fiercely. "How dare you. You should be glad they can't see your facial expressions. Nino was so worried about you, and you tuned him out! Tom and Sabine? They took time away from their own daughter, who's hurt just as bad as you are, to come see you and to love on you, and you doubted them! Your own father, who has never showed an ounce of care for you in years, is here, right here!" He gestured to the man who was oblivious to the exchange. "He's left his house, he appeared in public, and he looks like a hobo! Because of you! I know this isn't going to undo all those years of hurt, but you have to acknowledge him. It's not fair to him, and it's not fair to you if you don't."

And when he wasn't dying in a hospital? When Gabriel decides everything is fine now, and turns back into a robot?

"Then that's his problem. Then you can say 'screw it' and be with Marinette." He took a few steps closer and loomed over him, threateningly. Though he was a hallucination, Adrien feared he might actually get hurt.

"More than anything, you need to apologize to Plagg."

Plagg abandoned him. No matter how many times he called for him, he never came. Not in the darkest places, in the longest nights…

"He was asleep in the ring! You can't blame him for that! Don't you know how much he loves you? He's been with you every moment since you got the ring. He's your constant companion, and he knows how to make you feel better. Why would you push him away?"

He promised never to leave Adrien alone ever again.

"That wasn't his fault. You know that. I'm right here, telling you. And I _am_ you. That part of you that Salo tried so damn hard to stamp out. That part of you that loves unconditionally, that gives second chances to those that don't deserve it. The part of you that made you worthy of the Miraculous."

Well, Adrien was tired of that part of him. It only lead to trouble.

"Deny me all you want, but I'm the foundation to your very being. I'm not going anywhere. This is who you are, Adrien. Accept it, or spend the rest of your life in denial and misery."

"Adrien?" The small, timid voice of Plagg spoke up. "Are you still awake?"

The kwami floated into his vision, his limbs limp, his ears drooped, and eyes downcast. "Listen…I know…I know you feel like…" He sighed, unable to find the words. Adrien knew he was always bad with feelings. "I love you, Adrien," he said finally. "You're my favorite holder I've ever had. I would never, ever intentionally abandon you. When Salo took off the ring…I felt ripped away from you. I felt it. It was the worst feeling ever. Then I was alone in the ring, waiting. I didn't know if you were killed or—" Fat tears fell from his eyes as he struggled to continue. "And then I woke up, and I found you…and you were in surgery and there was all that blood—" he dissolved into quiet sobbing.

Maybe Chat Noir had a point. Maybe everyone was right. Even if the only person, or kwami, gunning for him was Plagg, he would be unstoppable.

It took great effort, but Adrien raised his hand and wrapped his fingers around Plagg's small body, stroking his head with his thumb.

"Are…are you still mad at me? Wink once for yes, and twice for no."

Wink wink.


	37. Discovering

Before we get into this chapter, I want to state there's Alya salt in here. I really like Alya, I do. I think she's a great character, because she's not a perfect person. So don't think I dislike her because I'm being critical of her.

—

In the hospital, one does not have the luxury of independence.

Marinette never did consent to using the bedpan, but she was slowly getting used to John escorting her to the bathroom, and helping her do her duties. It was embarrassing, and she hated it.

On such an occasion, Marinette cried as John undid the ties on her robe. "What's wrong dear?"

She sniffed. "I just hate being like this."

"I know it's pretty strange having someone watch you, but it shouldn't be too long before you're on your own."

She winced slightly, finding her confession sad. "Actually…I'm used to being watched now…I'm not used to using a toilet."

John just gave her a reassuring smile. "Then I'm glad you insisted on using the toilet instead of bedpan. You are making the conscious decision to create human habits. After substantial trauma, like what you've suffered, many people would really fall into dehumanized behavior. Not cleaning up after themselves, not using toilets, eating expired foods, really just not taking care of themselves in general. So for you to say, 'no, I want to use the bathroom like a big girl' instead of 'whatever, I'll just lay here' is really encouraging to me."

"I still want to lie in bed."

"I would be surprised if you didn't."

Once she was done, John helped her back into bed. "How's your pain level?"

"Fine. My back aches."

"Do you want some Valium? You can have some in an hour."

"Can I have something lighter?"

John smiled. "Man Marinette, you really know how to reassure a nurse. Ibuprofen sound good?"

"That'll hit the spot." She couldn't help but laugh.

John smiled too, only for it to fade slightly. "So, Marinette. I have to let you know, there's someone here that's been wanting to see you, but we had to make sure you were up for it."

"Oh? Who's that?"

"Would you like me to tell you? Or do you want to be surprised?"

She screwed up her lips. "Is it Adrien?"

"It's not Adrien, unfortunately."

She frowned slightly.

"I hear she's a friend of yours."

"It's not Lila, is it?" She asked with fear.

"No, that's not her name."

Marinette shrugged. "I guess surprise me. I'm out of guesses."

"Alright, I'll go get her."

Sabine, who had been sitting patiently nearby, took her hand and nodded in reassurance.

In the minutes that ticked by, Marinette grew uneasy. There weren't many female friends she was comfortable seeing right now.

While Salo's torment was still the most prevalent thing in her mind, the sting of betrayal from Lila had never subsided. How hypocritical of her classmates to come here and wish her well after they humiliated her and betrayed her? What would they have to gain?

Would it be from guilt? Or just because they didn't want to be on Ladybug's bad side?

"I think I changed my mind," She told her mother. "I don't want to see anyone."

Sabine nodded in understanding. "Alright, I'll stop them before they come in."

But she was a little too late, since John had returned, with Alya in tow.

"Hey girl…" She said softly.

Marinette shook her head. "No, no I can't handle this. Not her. I can't—" Her throat squeezed, and it took a few tries to swallow.

"Marinette," Alya spoke, her voice thick with emotion. "I know the last time we talked, things weren't great…"

"I don't want to talk to her," Marinette interrupted, telling John.

"Please, just hear me out!" Alya begged.

"Why should I?" Marinette stared her down with a ruthless gaze. "You never listened to me. I was just jealous of Lila when I told you she was lying. I was a coward when I wasn't ready to confess to Adrien. I wasn't journalistic when I warned you about posting stuff on your blog. You were always telling me I was wrong. So why should I listen to you now? Because you know I'm Ladybug? Because you're my biggest fan?" She shrugged, gesturing her to answer.

"Well…" Alya started, but then stopped. She was really speechless. She shrugged. "You're not wrong. I wasn't always a good friend. But I love you, I love Marinette, more than Ladybug."

"Then why didn't you believe me? Why weren't you there for me when I needed you? Why was Lila telling the world I wasn't actually in pain?"

Alya frantically wiped her tears away, trying to speak, but finding it too hard to.

Sabine just sighed sadly. "Alya punched Lila in the face in our living room."

"Twice," Alya sniffed. "Once in the living room, and once at school. After that, I wasn't really allowed to be around her."

Marinette shook her head in disbelief.

"The day you went missing," she began her tale. "Your mom called Nino and I. We were scared that because of what had happened at school, something was wrong. Maybe you had been akumatized or something. I didn't know. So we went to everyone's house, gathering a search party, and we looked all over Paris. Around dinner time, we returned to the bakery to regroup. Adrien's dad was there, because Adrien hadn't come home either, and that akuma was still on the loose. Then…_she_ came on the TV."

Marinette's anger had begun to subside, as she listened intently.

"I got this sinking feeling in my gut when I saw Ladybug and Chat Noir tied up like that. My brain just kept echoing 'what if? what if?' and then…the masks fell. I was horrified. I honestly don't remember much of what happened after that. I know there was yelling, and I punched Lila…but everyone knew the truth. Lila confessed she had lied."

"So she found new targets." Marinette supplied.

"Exactly." Alya continued, "Not long after, she was starting her web at school, talking with other students and some of our more…optimistic classmates into her lies. I just snapped. She was on the ground, bleeding, and then I heard Hawkmoth in my head."

"You got akumatized over me?"

"I fought it off. Because I knew it wasn't going to help. But I got his attention."

A strange tingle tickled at the back of Marinette's head. A moment in the rain, screams of terror. It all sort of blended together with everything else that she had been through.

She willed it away with a shake of the head. "I thought everyone believed her. I thought they believed it was…some sort of performance? I don't remember what she said. But she convinced everyone it was fake."

Alya shook her head, "No, not everyone. Just a tiny sliver of people. A loud sliver of people. You know Lila, she's got that…wicked charisma that just ropes people in. She's a manipulator, and she has to be in the lime light."

"Yeah, I know." Another flash of something familiar, Lila with bloody hands over her mouth.

Was it a dream? Or a hallucination from the drugs?

"Nino and I watched every scrap of the stream. We worked with detectives and analyzed everything we could. We even did our own searches around town. Rena Rouge and Carapace were spotted too." She took her laptop out from her bag and opened it up. "And on the blog, I had some volunteers help summarize and write out all the dialogue. EUROPOL used it for clues to find you."

A question that should have been asked a while ago came to mind, but she hadn't even considered it yet. "How did we get out? Who rescued us?"

Alya bit her lip and looked at Sabine, who in turn looked at the nurse.

John shrugged. "You may as well tell her now. She'll have to find out at some point."

"Find out what?"

"Marinette...you and Adrien were akumatized."

Marinette felt her skin grow cold and her hands become clammy. She reached for her water to help swallow the lump on her throat. "Oh."

Oh? _Oh?_ That's the best she had? Ladybug! Akumatized! That's the worst thing that could happen!

Not only had she failed as a superhero, her enemy had to bail her out!

Hawkmoth had saved them. And given that Tikki was still with her, he hadn't even taken the Miraculous.

Was she that pitiful to him? Or did he have something much worse in store?

"I don't...I don't remember." She whispered after drinking. He cup rattled in her hand.

"No one does." Alya reminded, gently. "Don't worry about it."

"Did we hurt anyone?"

Sabine reached over and squeezed her knee. "You gave me your earrings, and I did a Miraculous Cure."

"But did we _hurt anyone?_ I lost my memories, but no one else would have!"

John squeezed her shoulder. "Marinette, you need to take a deep breath. Your blood pressure is rising."

"I don't care about my god damn blood pressure!" She shouted.

"Okay, this conversation is over," He declared. "Alya, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Marinette grabbed him back, digging her fingernails into his arm. "Not yet."

John sighed. "First you wanted her to leave, now you want her to stay?"

"I need answers. Everyone knows everything. But I've literally been in the dark this whole time. What happened? What did I do?!"

Alya took a calming, considering breath. "Okay, I'll tell you everything, but we're going to cover it slowly and calmly. I don't want you to hurt yourself."

"I can't be hurt any worse than I have been, stop treating me like a fragile old woman!"

"Please calm down."

"Calm down?! No! I'm not going to calm down! I was akumatized! My identity was exposed, my miraculous stolen, I was beaten and tortured for god who knows how long! I watched the love of my life slowly die in my arms! And Hawkmoth finally got me! I have failed all the way across the board! So what else, huh? What did I do? Go on a murder spree!? Because not only was Paris disappointed in me, but are they scared of me now, too? What's next!? Prison? The guillotine?!"

"Marinette, you're hysterical." Sabine warned.

"Oh shut up, I'm allowed to be!" Marinette snapped, her voice cracking. "And I'm only getting angrier the more you all withhold information from me! So speak!"

Alya nodded. "Yeah…yeah, you…you guys killed some people."

Marinette clenched her eyes shut, nodding harshly. "Yeah, okay. Like, Salo and her men? On camera?"

"Yes, and—and some others."

"How many?"

"You don't want to know."

"HOW MANY, ALYA!?" She shrieked.

Alya covered her eyes with her hands, scared to look at her friend and admit this out loud. "Final body count was 47 people. Mostly people who worked for Salo and Edward Savage, but also some police officers and some civilians that got caught in the crossfire."

Information is what she wanted. And it's what she got.

But god, did it hurt.

"They all came back then? With the cure?"

"As far as we know, yes." Sabine soothed. "No one has tried to press charges or anything either."

"What are they saying about us? What are they telling Paris? Will we...will we have to leave?"

Sabine shook her head. "I haven't had the stomach to listen to the news."

"Most people have been very supportive of you both, especially Nadja Chamack," Alya provided. "There's been a lot of back and forth and critics having their opinions. But it's mostly garbage. They'll be forgotten."

"From what I've seen," John interjected. "This isn't like most political arguments where there's hidden information. Everyone knows what happened. Everyone has the same information. Anyone arguing otherwise is being brutally shut down. It's kind of the silver lining to this all being broadcasted."

Sabine squeezed her daughters hand. "No matter what, you have plenty of people ready to support you. So don't worry about Paris. Worry about you and Adrien."

Marinette looked to Tikki, who patiently sat in her hands. She grazed her thumb over her cheek absently as her mind wandered.

"All these resources, EUROPOL, the police...if no one else was able to find us, how did Hawkmoth? And why didn't he take my Miraculous?"

Sabine and Alya shared a subtle look. Marinette hadn't wanted them to withhold information, but how were they supposed to tell her that her new father-in-law was also her arch-enemy that they had been battling for years?

"I think it's best if he tell you that. I'm sure he'll appear sometime." Alya winced.

Before Marinette could grill her more about the vague answer, there was a knock on the door before Gabriel entered. He had a dress bag over his arm and a gift bag in the other.

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" He asked gently.

"Just an interrogation," Sabine said lightly.

"What do you want?" Marinette demanded.

"Just to say hi, and ask how you're doing."

"Hi. I'm peachy." Though her tone said otherwise.

"Would you be opposed to gifts?"

Marinette blanched. "I don't know if I deserve any gifts."

"Of course you do." He entered the room fully. "One isn't quite ready yet actually, but I thought it might cheer you up."

Marinette managed a weak smile as he set the gift bag in her lap. "Here, open this first."

She pulled out the wrapping paper, only to find a small white box. Inside, a brand new, top of the line, very expensive, smartphone.

"It's already set up. It should have all your contacts, as well as myself. This way if you need anything and someone's not here, we can get it for you."

Holding the device in her hand, Marinette felt some tightness in her chest subsiding. That horrible feeling of dependence waned with the world at her finger tips. Because besides being able to contact people, she'd be able to see for herself what was going on in the world. What people were saying about her.

"And one other thing," he stated as he draped the garment bag over her legs. "I hope you'll forgive me, but I studied your sketchbook. I wanted to get this as close as possible to what you imagined."

He undid the zipper, revealing a light pink garment. A dress, with a silvery lace bodice, that continued into the transparent wrist length sleeves. The skirt was full and unfurled from the bag. Right in the front of the skirt was an intricately hand stitched Phoenix, in rose color thread.

Her dream wedding dress.

Speechless, Marinette reached out to touch the pink silk, tears gathering in her eyes.

"Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful." She breathed. "I...I don't know...why?"

"Why what?"

"Why would you do such a thing? For me?"

"Marinette?"

"I don't know why...you're even talking to me? I—I'm the reason Adrien's so hurt. You know that, right? It was my mistake?"

Sabine squeezed her shoulder. "Marinette..."

Gabriel leaned closer to get to eye level. "You didn't torture him. You didn't kill anyone during a drug deal. You're not a fault."

"But—"

"Listen." He sat on the bed next to her. "I know I'm not the easiest person to understand. And that's my fault. You don't have to accept this dress if you don't want to. I still want to give it to you, no strings attached. Because your marriage to Adrien is legal and binding, which makes you my kid now too. And I'm fiercely protective of my kids."

She clenched her eyes shut, willing herself not to cry. Her fingers tangled in the fabric and crumpled it. "I can't wear this...it's so beautiful...and I'm hideous."

"You're not, girl." Alya assured. "You look rough, not gonna lie, but you're not hideous."

"All things in due time," Gabriel patted her hand. "When you are both ready, we'll have a proper ceremony. Alright? Whatever you want."

She nodded heavily. "Thank you...thank you..."


	38. Disobeying

So, I mentioned this on my Tumblr, but I guess some people didn't see it, and left some pretty rude comments on the last chapter. While the world is in quarantine, that doesn't mean I have tons of free time. I am working full-time remotely, and even more hours than normal. So don't demand more of me because 'I have nothing better to do'. Trust me, I'd love to write more.

For those of you who are always very patient and kind: Thank you, my little angels. I write for you and you only.

—

"How are you today, Adrien?" Dr. Boucher asked.

'Much better!' Past Adrien would have said, considering he was off the ventilator. But today's Adrien was much less enthused. He just laid there, staring at the doctor, before flicking his gaze to stare at the wall.

"The good news is, you can drink as much water as you'd like. We'd actually _prefer_ if you drink as much as you can." The doctor set the styrofoam cup down on the side table.

To Gabriel's dismay, this also didn't get a response from the boy. Adrien was listless, hollow, and a dull husk of his old vibrant self.

"So, since we've got you off the ventilator, I'm going to check something. We'll sit you up, and then we're going to perform a Laryngoscopy on you."

Adrien at least looked at the doctor at this point.

"It's a pretty painless procedure. From what I observed from the stream, I believe you may have developed vocal nodules. They're little calluses that form on the vocal cords and cause the voice to became horse and raspy, as well as neck pain and exhaustion. Though I'm sure you're exhausted for other reasons too." He grinned. "So what we'll do is, we're going to fish a small camera in your nose down the back of your throat to look at the vocal cords. We'll keep you awake for it. If you do have vocal nodules, we can perform surgery on them, depending on how big they are. Does that sound okay?"

Adrien didn't answer. They were going to do whatever to him anyway, why would he have to consent to anything?

"Let's just take a look first and see what we can do."

Adrien really was a model patient. He did exactly as he was told during the exam, and even made some noise to move his vocal cords.

"Yep," said the doctor. "He's got a pair of matching ones. Big. These will have to be removed before he's able to talk normally again."

"Is that why he's not talking now?"

"Could be. They are painful. But it can also be a psychological problem. Only Adrien has the answer. I'm sure he'll communicate eventually, though patience is the best medicine for him right now."

Adrien rolled his eyes at the conversation. Gabriel was never known for his patience before, especially when it came to him. Why would he start now?

Dr. Boucher fished the endoscope out, and let Adrien relax. "Great job, Adrien. That didn't hurt too bad, did it?"

He shook his head.

"That's a good boy." He rubbed his hair.

The rest of the day passed slowly and in boredom. There was no TV in his room, and Gabriel hadn't let him have a phone or tablet to look online. So he spent his time passing in and out of restless sleep.

The clock on the wall showed it to be around seven when Gabriel stood and stretched. "Son," he stated, waking him a little more. "I'm going to go home tonight. I'm really happy with the progress you're making, and I'm confident enough I can leave you in the doctors care until I return in the morning."

He could have just left. Either way, Adrien didn't really care.

Gabriel held the ring up in front of him, pinching it between his fingers. "Now, I'm going to leave this with you. Because it rightfully belongs to you. But you have to promise me you won't use it."

Adrien reached for it.

But Gabriel pulled it away. "Promise me."

With a sigh, Adrien nodded, and held out his hand patiently.

Considering it good enough, Gabriel dropped the ring back into his hand.

"Ahhhhhhh!" Plagg stretched from where he had been sleeping on Adrien's stomach. "It's good to be back where I belong!"

"You can feel through the ring?" Gabriel asked, astonished.

"It's a spiritual thing," the cat drawled, nuzzling against Adrien's hand. "You wouldn't understand."

Gabriel rolled his eyes. "No, I suppose not. Adrien, I'll bring you some pajamas in the morning so you can change out of the gown."

Adrien didn't bother responding. Instead, he slid the ring on his finger, watching as it shrank to adapt to the weight loss.

He hadn't noticed how naked he felt without the ring on. But having it back felt like a piece of him was falling back into place.

Just right.

Gently, he rubbed his thumb over the band and just savored the feeling of having control back in his hands. He closed his eyes, and just reveled.

Plagg watched this with concern and a touch of curiosity as the hours passed. Adrien's eyes twitched, and his brow creased in concentration. He remained this way long after the nurse came and turned off the light to sleep.

He wasn't just admiring the feeling of the ring, he was thinking.

But the moment Plagg realized what he was thinking about, by then it was too late.

"Kid, you prom—!" Was all he could say before being sucked into the ring.

Like a drug addict finally getting a fix after being sober for days on end, the power rushed over Adrien and filled him with strength and adrenaline. The pain waned, and his focus sharped razor sharp. All his cords and tubes became disconnected and alarms started blaring.

He flung the sheets off of him, and rolled onto the floor, lacking the finesse to slide and stand. The police standing guard were already coming in the room, begging him to drop his transformation.

But Chat Noir refused, withdrawing his baton from behind his back. He let the staff do the work, extending it to hit one man in the balls, and the other in the jaw. Then, with a little work, he was up on his feet and staggering passed the guards.

Though gifted with superhuman strength, his body wasn't used to moving. He shuffled and wobbled down the hall, frustrated with his own body for not working properly.

"Chat Noir?" A nurse asked in horror.

He hissed at her.

"Chat Noir!" She shrieked. "Wait!" Then she bit her tongue as she remembered training. She held her hands out at her sides, palm up. "Hey, it's okay. Relax. What do you need? What can I do to help you?"

He shrieked at her, his voice cracking painfully.

"My name is Sam, okay Adrien?" She took a careful step forward as several staff members approached quietly from behind, intent on subduing him. "Do you want to see Ladybug? We can make that happen, okay? Let's just get you a wheelchair, and you can transform—"

He shook his head violently. He was done waiting. 'Oh you'll see her soon' they said 'just wait a little longer' they said. Well, he waited. And no one was letting him see her. He was sick of it. He extended the baton to knock her in the stomach.

"Move!" Someone shouted from behind, before a pair of arms hooked under his arms and pulled backwards. He was pulled off balance, but managed to stomp the person's toes to let him go.

"Someone prepare 2 mg of lorazepam, we're going to need to administer it the second we subdue him!"

But Chat wasn't about to let that happen. He broke into a run, the best he could, and took off down the hall.

He had no idea where he was going, but looked into every room he passed, catching the attention of a lot of staff members.

It became a hospital wide game of tag.

Chat really didn't want to hurt anyone, but if they were standing in his way, he was using force. At one point, he had gotten pinned by two robust men while a female nurse prepared to administer the sedative. He thrashed wildly, getting one arm free to scratch the woman in the face. One of the men attempted to recover the dropped syringe, only to loosen his hold on Chat, who then wriggled himself free and threw the other man off of him.

"Someone get John! He plays flag football on the weekends!"

"John's off today!"

"Son of a bitch!"

As the chase went on, Chat grew more and more frantic and feral. He hissed at patients and staff alike, his eyes darting out and around, trying desperately to find a clue to his lady.

Then a little mousey nurse stood in front of him at the end of the hall. She looked shocked to see him barreling towards her, and froze like a deer in the headlights.

If Chat had to run her over, so be it. He wasn't stopping.

Coming out of her shock, the little nurse held up her hands and shouted at him. "Third floor, room 308!"

As he came upon her, he grasped her by the shoulders and spun her out of the way, unharmed.

Just beyond her were the elevators, and he sprinted in one as the door was closing.

Inside, there was already a passenger, an old man with a bouquet of flowers. "Would you mind hitting the button for the fifth floor? My eyes aren't what they used to be."

As Chat heaved a breath from his sprint, he looked curiously at the man, and then hit the button as the man asked, as well as his own.

At the third floor, he was off in a sprint again. Counting down the room numbers until he reached the end of the hall. The police officers standing guard should have been a clear sign.

"Chat Noir, we can't let you in." One said firmly.

He hissed in response.

"Did you say Chat Noir?" Marinette's sweet voice called from inside the room.

His ears dropped and his eyes dilated. Chat trembled and walked forward, ignoring the protests of the officers. Vaguely, he heard Tom talking to them, reasoning with them to leave him be.

But none of that mattered now, because she was here. His lady.

Like seeing the sun finally rise, or taking the first breath of clean air, Chat felt goosebumps settle down his spine as his body relaxed. A hand settled on his back to keep him steady, but his legs still wobbled.

She was so beautiful. Unbathed, bruised, and crusty, but still so beautiful. Those bluebell eyes that remained unchanged, and bored into him with a passion. It set the tips of his fingers tingling with the ache to have her, to touch her.

It was only a second as Marinette digested what she was seeing as real, before she flung her sheets off and hurried to him.

Her steps were weak and wobbly, and she almost fell. But she reached him, just as he started to slide to the floor. Her arms hooked under his and they dropped to the ground.

"Kitty…" she breathed.

In a voice so quiet it was barely audible, Adrien released his transformation. Once the strength was gone, he hissed in pain, and curled closer to her.

"Rebuke him," Plagg huffed. "He promised he wouldn't transform, and the second he was clear, he went ahead and did it."

Marinette raised a hand to his head and brushed back his bangs back to kiss him. "My sweet, reckless kitty."

He closed his eyes, exhausted from his excursion. But now he could rest, because he was with her.

Marinette leaned her forehead against his, soaking in his warmth. Oh how she missed him. His touch filled her soul with a quiet calmness she hadn't felt since that final night in the catacombs. Back then, she was holding him as he was dying, but now?

Now he was living. And it felt so right.

There was a clamor at the door as several staff members finally caught up to him.

"He just wants to be with Marinette," Tom explained. "We can't separate them."

"Did someone tell Dr. Boucher Adrien escaped?"

"He went home for the night, but I'll call him."

Now that no one was trying to tackle him and tranquilize him, Adrien actually allowed a smile to grace his face.

"That can't be comfortable down there," said Tom, knelling. "Let's get you kiddos on the bed, hm?"

Adrien didn't fight the man. He was right, it was extremely uncomfortable on the floor.

Tom and another nurse helped them stand, and then sit on the bed, only for Adrien to lean on Marinette. In turn, she raked her nails over his scalp, eliciting a purr from his chest.

The doctor who had left to make the call to Dr. Boucher returned. "Dr. Boucher will be back in a little bit. But he said it's best if we move Adrien's bed up here."

"Is he stable enough for that?"

"Doesn't matter if he's going to run away every chance he gets. Dr. Boucher says it'll be alright since he's off of a ventilator now. He and Marinette have a team assigned to them specifically anyways." The doctor came to Adrien and touched his knee. "Alright, you got what you wanted. You get to stay with Ladybug. But please, on behalf of the staff here, Don't. Do that. Again."

He rolled his eyes, but understood.

"Seriously Mr. Agreste," The doctor continued. "Protocol demands that if patients show excessive violence towards staff, we are to put them in seclusion. I don't want to do that to you. Especially after everything you've been through. So this is the only warning I'm giving you."

Oh, seclusion didn't sound fun. So he nodded in agreement.

"Good. I have to get back to my patients, but your team will be bringing the bed and equipment up soon. Please try not to move." He sighed, and left the room.

Tom rubbed Adrien's head. "You crazy kid." There was no rebuking, no scolding or judgement, though he deserved it. Tom just didn't see the point in it.

Before too long, a pair of nurses moved his bed into the room, moving Marinette over to make room. Then they moved Adrien into bed. "Don't get too comfortable," said one. "Dr. Boucher is going to need to examine you, and you'll probably have your drains and catheter replaced."

Adrien grunted in protest.

They had him lean on his side to check his stitches all the way down his back to his calves. "Despite your little stunt, your sutures look to be in good shape. I don't see any pulls or tears."

Finally, Dr. Boucher arrived, dressed in casual clothes. "Adrien, you teleported!"

Adrien hunched his shoulders slightly in shame.

"Dr. Kranken told me he gave you a thorough scolding, so I'll skip that part. Instead, I'll just check your wounds and make sure you didn't add any time to your recovery."

"His stitches look good," said a nurse.

"Good, good. That's the thing we are most concerned about." He studied the labyrinth of stitches that made up Adrien's back, prodding and poking as he went. "Sorry, I know this is so uncomfortable. But loose stitches can mean infection and infection with a skin graft like this can lead to necrosis or MRSA."

"What's that?" Asked Marinette.

"Necrosis is dead flesh. When the graft has poor blood supply, the skin will turn black and fall off. MRSA is a flesh eating bacteria, which can then lead to necrosis. So it's very very important that you both follow our instructions." Then he said a little quieter. "And stop freaking transforming into superheroes."

Okay, the threat of turning into a zombie with flesh eating bacteria was a little more persuading than just "it's not good for you."

"Let's see here...when you transformed, you forced your drains out, so that has to all be redone. And..." he held his arm out, inspecting the inside of his elbow. "And removing the IV the way you did blew out the vein. So we'll have to wait until it heals before we can insert another one in this arm." He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration and a little in exhaustion. "Alright, we're going to get you settled in here. Please promise me you're not going to pull anymore stunts, huh? At least not tonight. My wife and son had to pause the movie."

Adrien looked over to Marinette meaningfully, and then back to the doctor.

"I'll make sure everyone knows not to move you from this room." Then he looked at Marinette. "How are you feeling, darling? Anything new? Any symptoms that we talked about?"

"I have another headache. It's not that bad though."

"The nurse gave her some ibuprofen at 6:00." Sabine added.

Dr. Boucher checked his watch. "I'll let them know you can have some more in an hour. Think you can last that long?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

"Good," he breathed. "Then Adrien, let's get you some tubes."

Adrien growled.

—

In the morning, Gabriel Agreste arrived at the hospital with a duffel bag over his arm. As he went on his way to ICU, he was stopped by a receptionist.

"Oh, Mr. Agreste?"

He halted, "yes?"

"Adrien was moved to Marinette's room last night."

"Last night? I thought he was still a few days away from being moved?"

"He was, but there was...an incident last night."

Gabriel heaved a disappointed sigh, knowing exactly what happened. "Thank you," he muttered out as he passed.

Upstairs, Gabriel stormed into the room, to find his son half awake, and looking at Marinette.

Then his gaze shifted to his father.

He had the gaul to look sheepish.

"I'm disappointed in you." Gabriel shook his head. "You promised me."

Adrien looked away, towards Marinette. Perhaps for reassurance.

"How am I suppose to trust you, if the first thing you do is disobey me?"

"Gabriel," Sabine snapped. "He's already been chastised. He knows what he did was wrong."

"Does he? Does he know that he was being selfish and _stupid?_"

"You can't get mad at him for being irrational." Sabine stated, calm as she could.

"Irrational? My son doesn't_ do_ irrational! Dramatic, yes. Emotional, yes. But not irrational. He knows better. And he knows how his behavior reflects on me."

Sabine balled up a fist. "Have you ever seen Bambi?"

"What? What does that have to do with this?"

"Have you _seen_ it?" Her voice took an edge.

"Yes?"

"Do you remember the little bunny? Thumper?"

"What about him?"

"He has this line: 'If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.'"

He huffed. "Excuse me? Are you trying to use the philosophy of a child's movie on me?"

"If you insist on acting like a child, then yes. I will."

Adrien and Marinette watched with concern as the argument escalated, the insults being tossed back and forth like a volley at a tennis match.

"Childish? Trying to raise my child is childish?! Sabine, he's dangerous! To himself and other people!"

"That's a real joke coming from you."

"As if I had anything to do with this!"

"Keep running your mouth, and I'll tell them what you did!" Her voice escalated. "And trust!? Really?! You can't trust him, but you expect him to trust you!?"

He sneered at her. "Sabine, I didn't say a word when _your child_ recklessly transformed. I'm not trying to tell you how to raise _your child_, so don't try to tell me how to raise mine!"

Tom stood from where he was sitting. Not a man to be prone to a temper unless it had to do with his daughter, he had let his wife duke it out with Gabriel. But this left him alone to notice the first of the tears.

He hurried over to Adrien, and very carefully embraced him into a hug.

"What are you doing?! Don't touch him!"

Tom ignored him and petted the top of Adrien's head. "Hey son, it's okay. It's okay, he's just scared. It's okay."

_Son._

Adrien relaxed into Tom's hold, feeling safe and secure.

"Don't coddle him! This behavior is appalling!"

"**That's enough.**" Plagg's voice boomed, shaking the room with a slight tremor. Everyone went silent as the kwami approached Gabriel. "You took five steps forward and six steps back, you low life."

"Now you're going to lecture me too?"

"No, Gabriel. I don't lecture. I threaten. I will constantly give you second chances, only for Adrien's benefit. But if you keep treating him like this, _getting rid of you_ will be to his benefit. Do I make myself clear?"

Gabriel breathed slowly. "I understand."

"Gabriel," Sabine spoke firmly, but more gentle than she just had. "Don't you remember what Dr. Boucher said? We won't recognize our children. Maybe irrational is what Adrien is now. You need to learn that, and accept it. The sooner you do, the sooner that will stop."

"Salo talked to him like that," Marinette spoke. Her hands fisted the blankets. "She belittled us. Told us we were a disappointment. That we were wrong. We were bad."

She swallowed harshly, tears pricking at her eyes. "If…if the first decisions we were able to make for ourselves were bad…maybe she was right."

"Oh honey no…" Sabine breathed.

"Gabriel, you shit-stain, you tell them right this instant that didn't mean it!" Plagg yowled.

Gabriel shook his head and came to stand between the two beds. He reached out both hands to touch them. "I'm sorry."

Plagg was kind of speechless. He didn't think that would actually work.

"I gave Adrien his ring back. I knew he wouldn't be able to handle the temptation…I'm more disappointed in myself for being optimistic."

Marinette snapped her hand away from him. "Only you could make an apology sound so condescending."

He pinched his nose. "You know what? I think I'm just going to leave. I'll listen to that rabbit and keep my mouth shut. Apparently, I'm the bad guy here."

"You are." Sabine reminded. "So get it together."

Gabriel dropped the duffle bag onto a chair and left, taking the coldness of the room with him.


	39. Remembering

I just want to say thank you to everyone for their reviews. I can't respond to all of you because I just don't have the words. But thank you! I read each and every one, and they keep me going when times are rough. Over all, reviews have been kind. I was expecting some 'omg you're a terrible person and I hope you die' but that never came. You guys are just awesome and I appreciate you so so much!

I didn't expect this story to be so long, and I'm kind of losing steam to pump it out so fast. I'll finish it of course, but some chapters take time to figure out what's happening. I have most of the story planned out, but the 'when's and 'how's are a little fuzzy. You guys have been very patient and I appreciate it. I just wanted to keep you informed. I think you all deserve it.

—

You would think that since Adrien and Marinette were finally allowed to be together, things would be smooth sailing.

But it wasn't. It was awkward.

Which was completely unfair in fact. She was finally with Adrien, but never alone. And he couldn't talk. They were just out of arms reach from the other, and even if he could speak, what would they even talk about? Small talk? Surely not about the time in the catacombs.

Did he know what she did? Did he remember being an akuma? Did he know how they got out?

So many days passed in that room in silence. They watched feel-good movies one after the other. Nino and Alya would come to visit and share stories of uplifting things that had happened.

They learned of their trending hashtag. They watched the interviews with Nadja. And they got to watch the benefit concert.

"All that money was put into a fund for you guys," Alya explained. "That way, you don't have to worry about supporting yourselves. You are taken care of for life!"

On one hand, yes. Wonderful. Finding work and going back to school were two things that Marinette was afraid of doing, afraid of failing at. Like two giant boulders she'd have to pick away at with a tiny hammer. So to know they had a large safety net was a relief.

On the other hand, it was kind of disgusting. They were real people being tortured, with no granted privacy. Everyone had seen both of them naked, in their most vulnerable moments of weakness, crying, panicking, even hallucinating. And people were just watching it. And they got invested and wanted to know more, like they were characters in a show and not people actually suffering!

Taking donations? Fine.

But making a concert out of them like some sort of spectacle? Disgusting.

Watching the interviews, it became apparent that everyone knew about Marinette's debilitating crush on Adrien. How awkward she was around him, how she embarrassed herself.

There was a reason she had a secret identity. So that Marinette would be safe. Marinette and her family.

What did she have left of her own?

"What was the point of that?" She asked as Jagged's 'Exit Music' faded out.

"Girl, it's a benefit concert." Alya quirked her head to the side, like she had no idea what was wrong.

"The benefit of who?"

"Of you two, of course. What else would it be?"

"Did you plan this?"

"Well…yeah? Most of it. It was Jagged Stone's idea though."

"Did you pat yourself on the back afterwards? Thought you picked a bunch of really vulnerable moments to really drive the emotion up?"

"What? N-no…"

"You know what I saw? A bunch of people singing a bunch of useless songs to make themselves feel better. What was even the goal? To bring awareness to our suffering?"

Alya huffed. "Don't be like this, Marinette. Jagged brought the idea to us because there was nothing else he could do. He's a musician. So he wanted to play music to help you somehow. I'm sorry that my video choices upset you. I thought they were funny and captured the person you are outside the suit. I wanted others to see that person."

Marinette didn't have a response to that.

"And you know what? Maybe we did want to feel better. What good does it do anyone if we all sat around feeling hopeless?"

"Yeah, like I didn't know how that felt."

Alya exhaled hard. "That's not what I'm saying. If everyone lost hope, who would even bother to save you? If there was no chance?"

Marinette glared at her. "Well, I hope Hawkmoth really enjoyed the concert, since he was the only helpful one."

"He wasn't—" Alya growled, but bit her lip. "You know what? It's not my place. I'm sorry. I legitimately didn't know this would hurt you."

Marinette turned her gaze away. "I'm sorry for snapping. Thank you for putting the concert on."

"Nah girl, you can thank Jagged when he comes to visit. He was really worried. And you might thank Luka too."

"I'll try."

—

For his own part, Gabriel was practicing the art of holding his tongue. Some moments it was difficult, but he had to tell himself it was an emotional response to seeing his only son in pain.

In this time of quiet observation, he watched Marinette and Adrien, studying the changes in behavior. Noting was setting them off in anger, and what they were okay with. His goal in the next several months was to push those boundaries.

There was no reason for Adrien to hiss at nurses that were touching Marinette.

Besides this, he was also trying to consolidate Chat Noir and Adrien, and Marinette and Ladybug. It had been a chore since the beginning, but it was still so hard to piece together.

And now with their changes in personalities, it was impossible.

He hadn't really known Marinette. The few times he met her, he'd describe her as small. Timid, shy, unable to have eye-contact, and incredibly clumsy. From Adrien and Lila, he learned that she had a lot of people that trusted her and was easily liked.

Ladybug on the other hand, demanded attention and respect with her very presence. She exuded confidence that he had found annoying, if not respectable. Though they had been enemies, she was certainly a formidable opponent. Calm, calculating, and creative.

New Marinette was none of these things. Closed off, bitter, quiet, and volatile. Words were like pouring salt on her bare back, some grains fell in open wounds, and it was impossible to predict what would set her off.

Adrien used to be polite, graceful, and wore his emotions on his sleeves, no matter how hard he tried otherwise.

Chat Noir was obnoxious, reckless, and larger than life. He came off as a goofball, but Hawkmoth could tell he took his duties seriously.

New Adrien was impossible to read. Silent, watching, calculating. Completely stoic unless someone touched Marinette. There was no way to tell how he was coping, other than to assume he wasn't.

The doctor was right, they were unrecognizable.

The only saving grace was the softening gaze Adrien had when looking at Marinette. She was the only thing that seemed to pull him out of his abyss.

"Good morning," Dr. Boucher stated early one day. Adrien was awake, but Marinette was still sleeping.

"Good morning," Gabriel returned for his son.

"Well, things are going great, I'm really thrilled with the progress both of them are making. We've avoided every complication, quite Miraculously. So I was hoping to do one more procedure on Adrien while he's still admitted."

Adrien glanced at the doctor, seemingly listening.

"Your vocal nodules. It's a really easy procedure, we won't even put you to sleep. Just numb the area and use a tiny laser to remove the growths. Shouldn't take too long at all."

Adrien turned to Marinette, whimpering in the back of his throat.

"I promise you won't be gone long. Might even be back before she wakes up."

"I'll let her know if she does," Sabine spoke up from Marinette's side of the room. "You might as well get this done now, Adrien. Then you don't have to come back."

"And they'll only get worse as time goes on." The doctor added.

Adrien screwed up his lips and gave a stiff nod.

"That's a good boy."

—

Marinette awoke to Dr. Boucher speaking. "Now, in order for your vocal cords to fully recover, I don't want you to speak for two weeks. After that, you can gradually start speaking softly. No yelling for a while. Okay?"

Marinette raised her head to see the doctor was talking to Adrien.

"What's going on?" She asked.

"See, I told you you'd be back before she woke up." The doctor smiled. "We just got done removing Adrien's vocal nodules, so he should be able to speak within the next few weeks."

"That's wonderful." She said softly.

"And how are you feeling?" He asked her.

She frowned. "Gross. I want to take a bath."

He smiled. "Well, I'm afraid you can't. But we can give you a sponge bath and wash your hair."

Oh.

_Oh_.

Huh.

What a strange trigger.

One moment, she was safe in the hospital, the next, she was standing in the rain, a deranged Chat Noir next to her. They were looking in the window of a salon. Then she was in a chair, staring at her own horrible perverse reflection.

_"Can I wash your hair? Give you a trim? It might make you feel better."_

And then…

Blood. Everywhere. Salo's lifeless face dissolving into ash. Gunshots ringing in her ears. Adrenaline pumping. Bodies of her tormentors laying all around her.

And Chat smiling with blood in his mouth.

"Marinette?"

Alya's little sisters hiding and crying. Chloe, terrified and cowering against a shelf. A man dangling over the edge of a building by his neck. Dozens of men being eviscerated, torn to shreds. A whole building worth of angry thugs laying on the floor and writhing in pain.

"Marinette!"

Bodies hanging from the Arch de Triomphe. A fight with Hawkmoth, and Chloe, and Nino.

_"Alya!"_ Her own voice screamed. _"Come out and face me! Face judgement for your neglect and betrayal!"_

Over and over. Blood. Screams. Death.

Because of them.

Because of her.

A stern hand grabbed her arm. "Speak to me Marinette, what hurts?" The doctor was speaking, but Marinette wasn't listening.

She turned to look at Adrien, who was only staring at her wide-eyed, tears of his own streaming down his face.

Gabriel was right there with him. "He's upset too. What did you do?"

"I don't know! I thought a sponge bath was a fine idea!"

Marinette was reading the look on Adrien's face wrong. Her own anxieties fed her lies and told her that the fear she was seeing was directed towards her.

And to be honest, she was a little afraid of him too.

He had torn out throats with his teeth, and then laughed about it. He had enjoyed their murder spree.

And so had she. Justice, she said. They were setting things right. Doing what others were too cowardly to do.

But violent revenge wasn't that far off from what Salo had been after.

In fact, theirs had been much much worse.

"I'm just like her…" Marinette sobbed. "I'm just like Salo."

"Honey no." Sabine demanded. "Absolutely not."

"I'm not an idiot!" She choked. "I know what I did! I know the whole story! I remember all of it! I'm disgusting!" And she turned away. Away from her family, away from Adrien.

But she stood firmly facing her guilt.

It was a veil being lifted. A fog rolling back to reveal memories that were aching to be noticed. Deep primal instincts that thundered inside. There was no ignoring it, and it was only a matter of time before the truth became known.

"I can't take this," stated Tom, who had been quiet since Marinette awoke. In quick strides, he was across the room and scooping his daughter up into his arms.

Marinette allowed him, and clung to his shirt as she wailed. Sabine came up behind her and petted her hair patiently, silently.

Adrien had his back turned from them, and trembled in his horrified shock.

How could he?

How could he be so cruel and demented? How could he enjoy murdering? With his bare hands no less?

Was he so loyal to Ladybug that he'd kill for her? She hadn't even asked him to. Was he so depraved that that felt like the right thing to do?

He was a monster. An absolute monster.

Shakily, he took off his Miraculous and tossed it blindly, hearing it ping against the linoleum.

He didn't deserve to be a hero. He didn't deserve to live.

"Adrien," Gabriel said as he crouched next to him. "You should hold onto this." The ring rested in his palm.

Adrien shook his head, burying his face in his pillow.

Gabriel watched his son sink into himself, swallowed into a dark abyss. One he feared he'd never make it out of. But how was he supposed to help? A pat on the head? 'There there'? Comfort was so out of realm of his expertise.

Still, there was hope for him yet if he realized there was a problem and wanted to fix it. Looking to the Dupain-Cheng's, he found Marinette snuggled against her father. The scene was so sweet if he hadn't known the context.

Gabriel looked to Dr. Boucher. "Can he be moved?"

"Uh, yes. I think that'd be alright."

Coming around to the other side, Gabriel slid an arm under Adrien's waist and forced him to sit up.

His head flopped forward and rested on Gabriel's collar bone.

"Come on, Adrien, it's alright."

But Adrien just sobbed against him.

"Adrien," Tom stated firmly. "Come here, son." And he held out his hand.

Adrien lifted his head, his chest rising and falling with erratic breath. He looked Tom in the eyes, trailing down to his outstretched hand. That was something he wholeheartedly didn't deserve.

"You can go," Gabriel assured. "It's okay."

After a split second of hesitation, Adrien staggered to his feet and fell the last few feet to reach Marinette's bed. Tom caught him before he hit the ground and swept him up onto his lap.

There were tears, there was repentance, and shame. It lasted far too long as the 12 hours of memories roared like a debilitating hurricane in their minds.

And then soon, it started to feel good to cry. It wasn't great. It was exhausting and draining, but in a good way, like after running a race.

"You remember how it ended, don't you?" Sabine asked softly. "You gave me your earrings, and I did Miraculous Cure. They're all okay now. Maybe a little scared and confused, but they're alive."

Marinette sighed with a shutter. "I have to apologize."

"If it will help. But I'm sure they understand and don't hold it against you."

Gabriel mimicked Sabine's comforting motions on his son. "You were both akumatized. You know better than anyone else that akumas are irrational. They embody the very emotion they felt when they are transformed."

"You remember when I turned into Weredad?" Asked Tom. "I trapped you in a tower, and beat up Chat Noir. You know I'd never do that. I want to protect you, but I also want you to enjoy life and make your own decisions. It was irrational."

"And you remember when Nonna turned into Befana?" Asked Sabine. "She wanted to hurt you, Marinette. And she turned your father into coal. Grandma would never want to hurt you."

"You see Marinette," Gabriel continued. "A lot of akuma's hurt, and some even kill. They petrify, and turn people to ice cream. But life goes on. Paris heals. You are just unfortunate enough to remember it."

"Why?" Marinette whispered. "Why did we remember?"

Gabriel frowned. "I think Hawkmoth might be the only one to know the answer."

"But that's something to worry about later," Sabine interjected. "You have plenty of emotions to sort through as of right now."

Marinette nodded sagely and wiped her cheeks.

Then her eyes flicked over to Adrien.

He managed the smallest smile for her, the fear disappearing from his eyes.

It sent a spark to her heart, and her face heated up.


	40. Homecoming

"Oh look at that! Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful, Adrien." Dr. Boucher praised. "I love bloody skin grafts."

Adrien was on his stomach, but propped up with pillows to keep the weight off of his chest. The bandages on his back were coming off permanently today.

And they would be going home.

Well, to the Agreste mansion at least.

Until things calmed down more, and the new security system was installed at the bakery.

"No sign of infection, no blackening of any skin. This is just what I hoped to see."

"It still looks awful," said Gabriel, mercilessly.

"Well, of course it does. And the stitches make it look even worse. But take a look at this!" The doctor pressed a finger against the skin graft for a moment and then pulled away. There was a white spot where he pressed, before it turned pink again. "You see? He's got a nice blood flow. That means my biggest worries with him are mostly over."

He took off more bandages lower down, revealing his buttocks and thighs. "However, the graft came from the groin area. The donor site is looking good too, but the skin is still raw and tender. Walking will be painful for a few weeks still." Carefully, he rolled Adrien's thigh to reveal the yellowish gauze on the inside of his legs. It just looked like a really bad rug burn underneath.

"Sitting might also be unpleasant, given the stretching to the stitches from your lower back to your calves. If you are able to prop up your legs, that should help."

Adrien grunted in confirmation.

"Loose underwear and pants. The more breathable the better. You may shower, but nothing is to be submerged in water. If the xeroform gauze gets wet, blot it dry gently, and use a hair dryer at the lowest setting. You might have to do that a few times a day. As the skin heals, the xeroform will pull off. Just trim it off with scissors. It should be about another two weeks before it pulls all the way off. Your arm stays in the sling for two more weeks, but you can use it as need be. Just be careful. Continue to clean your ears with saline until all of the piercings are healed, then you can take out the earrings. Take all medicine as prescribed, when designated. I've included all this information in your care packet."

"Thank you," said Gabriel.

The doctor smiled and turned to the other side of the room. "And how is Marinette feeling today?"

"She's a little sleepy today," provided Tom.

Marinette laid on her side, away from Adrien. She didn't acknowledge the doctor.

"Not excited about getting to go home in time for Christmas, sweetheart?"

"I'm ecstatic." She said dully.

"I can tell," Dr. Boucher chuckled. "Did you hear what I told Adrien?"

"Hmm-mm."

"Showers are fine, but don't submerge any wounds. Mr. Agreste said that your shower has been fitted with a bench so won't risk standing in water."

"Cool."

"Take all medicine as prescribed and when designated."

"Got it."

"Would you please look me in the eye and say that again?"

Marinette turned to face him, and said calmly. "Yes Dr. Boucher, I will take my medicine exactly as prescribed and at the right times."

"Excellent." The man smiled. "I'm not trying to patronize you, I just wanted you to remember."

"I know."

"Good. Now, if anything happens after you leave, you trip and fall, some other symptom pops up, etc. call me, and I'll come right over. No need to tough things out. We want a nice, smooth recovery."

"Yeah, sure."

"Alright! Let's get you dressed and checked out!"

—

Tom, Gabriel, and the Gorilla accompanied them down to the lobby. Sabine has stayed back at the mansion, preparing for their return. Marinette and Adrien were both put in wheelchairs, as they were both still too weak to make the trip.

As soon as they got off the elevator, applause began as staff and patients alike lined the hall and cheered them on.

Marinette sunk farther into her chair. "Why are they all here?" She asked her father.

"Because they love you, and they're happy to see that you're alright."

"How could they love me?"

"Darling, you're Ladybug."

"That doesn't make up for what happened. Just one unforgivable deed can ruin the public's opinion of a person. Why would I get any special treatment?"

Tom sighed. "You'll understand eventually."

Eventually, they ended up at check out. Marinette paid little attention to what was being said. They talked billing and insurance, future appointments for suture removal and check ups. Boring stuff.

Adrien was by her side, about a foot away, and he rested his arm out, palm up for her to take.

She pretended not to see it.

Then soon enough, they were moving again, the Gorilla hurrying on ahead to pull up the car.

"Adrien should sit in the front," said Marinette. "So he has more leg room."

Adrien whined in protest, but Gabriel ignored him. "I think that's a good idea."

Before they even went outside, however, they could already hear the crowd waiting for them.

"Shit," Gabriel muttered under his breath. "The media has been patrolling the entrance, but it looks like someone found out today was discharge day."

"Don't these people have anything better to do? Tomorrow is Christmas Eve for crying out loud." Grumbled Tom.

Marinette pulled the hood of her sweatshirt up, and pulled the cords taut. Adrien noticed, and mimicked the action. The police stood nearby, ready to keep back the crowds.

The cold December air burst over them in a flurry, blowing right through them, as the voices shouted and cried out for attention. Mostly demanding and questioning, but some with anger.

"Ladybug! Chat Noir!"

"What are you going to do now?"

"Will you ever get back to superhero work?"

"Is it true that you're both married officially?"

"Will you be passing on the Miraculous?!"

"Adrien, over here!"

"Murderers!"

"Have you heard anything from Hawkmoth?"

"Are you in league with Hawkmoth now?"

"Monsters!"

Marinette kept her head down as her father helped her into the car. She was placed in the middle seat, as Gabriel sat on her left. The Gorilla helped Adrien into the front, and placed the wheelchairs in the trunk.

Like the red sea, the reporters parted from the front of the car, but didn't relent in their questions.

"How bad are your injuries?"

"Where are the other Miraculous users?"

"How could you betray us!?"

"What are you going to do with the money from the concert?"

The moment everyone was buckled and settled, the Gorilla peeled out of the drive and sped away to the mansion.

"Jesus Christ. I didn't think it'd be that bad."

"Must be a slow news day everywhere else."

Tom pulled Marinette against him. "It's okay, Marinette. It won't take long before this all calms down."

"Yeah, like in a few decades." She muttered.

The ride was mostly silent, as Tom tried to introduce small talk. But between two people that didn't talk, and two people not willing to talk, it was more awkward than not.

Soon they reached the mansion, and even more media awaited them.

Marinette covered her ears to ignore it.

The Gorilla pulled right up to the steps, the gate locking the unwanted guests out.

"I want to walk up the steps on my own." Marinette demanded.

"Alright, I'll be right there to catch you," said her father, helping her out.

The Gorilla lifted Adrien out of his seat, and carried him up the stairs.

Each step hurt, despite having shoes and socks on. She leaned on the rail, while her father's hand steadied her back. It was slow, but she was doing it on her own.

The doors to the mansion opened, and immediately they were warmed. Not just by the heat, but by the lights, the glitter, and bright colors.

Now it felt like Christmas. Garland strung across the banisters, little hints of Christmas scattered over end tables and furniture, and a tree, bare and surrounded by boxes of decorations.

It felt like a home.

Marinette let out a little hum at the sight. Her parents must have run home to collect their own decorations to make it feel like their home.

"Pretty," she said with a little smile.

"Oh I'm so glad you like it!" Alya stood from where she was checking lights. "I had no idea if you were going to be up for Christmas, but I figured you wouldn't at least mind the decorations."

"Looks very nice," she stated again. "I'll enjoy it more in a bit. I really just want to take a shower."

"Fair enough!"

Adrien whined.

"Stay down here," she demanded, without looking at him. "It doesn't make any sense for you to wait for me upstairs when I'm coming right back down."

He whined again, but it sounded more like he was relenting.

The Gorilla deposited him gently on a chair near the tree as Marinette once again, independently climbed the stairs.

Alya rested a hand on Adrien's knee. "What do you think, Sunshine? Festive enough?"

He shrugged.

"Eh," Nino winced. "Adrien's not really...big on Christmas."

"My wife is obsessed with Christmas," explained Gabriel. "Since she...disappeared, it's been hard. A lot of memories."

Adrien shifted uncomfortably.

"Then we'll all make some new ones together." Said Sabine, resting a hand on his head. "Then we'll honor the ones you have, and it might not sting as much."

Adrien didn't look thrilled at the idea, but he was hard to read. He shuffled his feet, and pulled at the legs of his pants.

He didn't really seem to be listening.

So they let him be, and got back to decorating.

—

When Marinette reached Adrien's room, she sauntered over to the bed and sat down on the mattress.

"Great job!" Praised Tikki. "That was a lot of stairs! And you did it all by yourself!"

"Stupid thing to be happy about," she frowned. "I'm strong enough, my feet just hurt."

"You've got to celebrate the little things." Tikki flitted over to Marinette's suitcase behind the couch. "Otherwise you'll get discouraged."

"Yeah, whatever."

Tikki wasn't bothered by the reaction, and only picked out some clothes and moved them into the bathroom.

Adrien's room had also been decorated for Christmas. There was a garland stretched across the railing to the second story. Another undecorated Christmas tree stood in the corner of the room by the windows. The bed was made, with fresh sheets and a festive blanket on the foot of the mattress. By the pillows sat the little Ladybug and Chat Noir plushies.

Marinette grit her teeth as she leaned forward to untie her shoes. It wasn't enough to pull her stitches on her back, but it did sting.

"Do you need help?" Tikki asked after watching her struggle.

"No." She finished untying her laces, and then started to pull them off.

The worst of the cuts on her feet were on the ball of her foot, right by her big toe, and it hurt the whole time she slid out of her shoe.

She still had to take her socks off, but she was exhausted.

Tikki seemed to pick up on it and pulled her socks off for her, pulling gently to not catch on the stitches.

"Thank you, Tikki."

"Of course Marinette. Please don't feel ashamed to ask for help. I want you to get better."

Marinette didn't argue, but she didn't agree. Slowly, she stood and sauntered her way to the bathroom.

The tile was cool on the irritated skin. She shucked off her sweatpants and sweatshirt, then her shirt and underwear.

Then she sat on the toilet, feeling tired again before she could reach the shower.

"Here's your hairbrush." Tikki added, dropping it on the counter.

"Thanks."

"Would you like me to stay in here? Or wait outside?"

"Wait outside." Then as an afterthought, she added, "please."

"I understand. You want your privacy. Well, if you need me, I'll be out in Adrien's room." And she shut the door behind her.

Gathering her strength, Marinette sauntered over to the shower and turned it on. It didn't take long at all for it to warm up, and she slid onto the bench, sitting sideways in the stream of water.

Words couldn't describe the comfort clean, warm water gave her as it rushed over her body. She scrubbed the shampoo into her hair and let the suds slide down her skin. The luxurious fragrance of expensive soap filled her nostrils, hiding the stench of infection and body odor. The dirt and grime that had persisted even after the sponge baths, were disappearing down the drain, leaving nothing but smooth, clean skin.

She used a washcloth to scrub at the bloodstains, rubbing her skin raw. Maybe if she rubbed hard enough, she could wash all the bad memories away. Wouldn't that be wonderful?

After her hair was shampooed and conditioned, and her skin was raw from her frantic scrubbing, she just sat on the bench, letting the water beat on her. Clear her head of thoughts, good and bad.

And just exist.

Like that night in the rain.

She had leaned on Chat's—Grimalkin's chest then. He wrapped his arm around her, and kissed her forehead tenderly, like they hadn't just murdered 14 people.

A moment in the rain with Adrien.

How different things had become.

Before, she loved the rain. It reminded her of falling in love. Of misunderstandings turned to forgiveness, and friendships starting in the most sincere and innocent of ways. But now the rain tasted bitter. It was cold on her skin and made her hair hang flat to her head.

There was no umbrella, no laughter, no fireworks.

And even the boy she shared the moment with became a blur.

When living your last moments, it's easy to say 'I love you'. There's no fear, no considering, no sorting out your feelings. Just the desire for comfort and to lean on someone, and to let your feelings known without regrets.

She loved Adrien, she knew that in her head. And she had moments with Chat Noir where her heart would beat faster and she'd feel at home.

But the twisted version of her boy was so foreign to her. They had both come out of torture as different people, that was obvious. But the month she was separated from him, something changed in his mind. It cracked. Or maybe it was the flogging, or even the akumatization.

Somewhere, the sunshine goofball she treasured was swallowed, and a blank slate was left behind.

Adrien and Chat Noir still never melded together for her. They hadn't gotten to develop that gap organically. It was just a constant fight for their lives with no development.

It was her and him together, and that's all it was. All it needed to be.

So what was different now? Why was everything so complicated?

Finally, she turned the water to cold, letting herself be pelted to numbness before she turned it off completely.

She stood, stepping out of the shower to get a towel.

But the marble floor was slick and her feet flew out from under her. She immediately fell on the ground, landing hard on her back and bumping her head on the lip of the shower.

It wasn't enough to knock her out, but it did send searing pain up through the wounds in her back.

Honestly, it would have hurt even if she didn't just get out of the hospital.

She didn't cry out in pain though. She took the impact with as much grace as she could, only a rough grunt coming from her lips.

Now to get up.

She could do that, right? She just needed to sit up.

Sit up.

Sit.

Oh she was exhausted. Her head throbbed as she fought off nausea.

"Tikki?" She called weakly.

"Did you call me, Marinette?" Tikki asked from outside.

"Yeah...I...I fell. And I can't...I can't get up."

Tikki was silent on the other side. Marinette hoped she had rushed to get help, and hadn't shrugged her off.

Just a few minutes.

Just a few…

—

Tikki swooped into the main room where everyone was still decorating. "Marinette fell!" She cried.

Immediately, everyone abandoned their decorations and raced up the stairs, leaving Adrien alone on the couch.

Tom, Sabine, and Alya burst into the bathroom, while Nino and Gabriel waited just outside, giving her privacy, but also waiting to help where they could.

Marinette looked up at the sudden entrance. "It's not as bad as it looks."

"Oh baby..." Sabine cooed, bending over her. "What hurts? Where did you land?"

"I landed on my back, and I bumped my head."

"I'll get an ice pack!" Gabriel called before leaving the room.

"Do we need to call the doctor?" Asked Tom.

"No, no don't. I just...need some help getting up. I'm...weaker than I thought."

"How's your spine? Does anything feel wrong?"

"No, just my stitches."

"Okay, I just didn't want to move you if you hurt your spine." Tom took hold of her arm and pulled her up to sit. Then he scooped her up and moved her to sit on the toilet.

Alya draped a towel over her legs.

Sabine scooted behind her, touching her back. "I'm not seeing any bleeding, so I don't think you tore anything."

"Girl, talk to us." Alya demanded. "I see tears. What hurts?"

"It all hurts," she confessed with a whisper. "But I feel so stupid for falling..."

Sabine took her hairbrush and started to comb out her hair. "Darling, no. You don't need to worry about that. Accidents happen."

"Dr. Boucher told me to be careful. But I just wanted to shower on my own..."

"Marinette," her mother squeezed her hand. "We do not fault you for wanting to be independent or wanting privacy. You deserve it, you have the right to ask for it. This was simply an accident, and it's not as bad as it could be."

"I'll call the doctor," said Tom. "I don't think he needs to come, but it would be smart to get his recommendation."

"Sorry..."

"No apologies necessary, honey." Tom kissed her temple, and left the room.

"Let's get you dressed, Hmm?"

"Yeah."

Only a few minutes later, Marinette emerged from the bathroom, clean and dry, dressed in fresh clothes. Sabine helped her to sit on the bed.

Gabriel handed her a bag of frozen peas for her head, and Nino gave her a glass of water with some ibuprofen.

"Dr. Boucher says he's not too worried about it since she's not bleeding or unconscious. He said there might be some extra soreness, but to call again if something feels sprained."

"I'm sorry..." Marinette looked down to her toes.

"Really girl, stop apologizing." Alya chastised. "We felt so helpless for so long, please let us help you now."

Marinette looked up to her shyly, and prepared to answer, but before she could, a low whine came from the door.

Everyone collectively turned to look, only to find Adrien sitting at the door frame.

"Adrien? How did you get up here?" Gabriel asked, dreading the answer.

Adrien leaned forward to his hands and knees and started to shuffle slowly into the room.

"Nope!" Tom rushed to him and lifted him off the floor. He carried him over to the couch and set him down.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Gabriel reprimanded. "Why didn't you just stay downstairs?"

Adrien flinched, curling up on himself at the shout.

Tom petted his head. "I'm sorry we left you down there alone. We won't do it again."

As soon as Adrien was on the couch, he was twisting to turn around to look at Marinette. He whined again.

Marinette didn't look at him.

"She's alright," Sabine cooed. "Just bumped her head."

His eyes never left her, as he just stared with an unreadable expression.

"Did you want to take a shower too, dude?" Asked Nino.

But Adrien didn't answer. It didn't seem like he had heard him.

"Adrien," Gabriel stepped right in front of him and caught his eyes. "Do you want to take a shower?"

Adrien tried to look around him, back at Marinette, but she wasn't looking at him. Not cuing him, not saying anything to him.

He didn't know what to do.

"Adrien." Gabriel pressed a little firmer. "Yes or no?"

Why was a simple yes or no so hard? He didn't know! _He didn't know!_

The decision was taken away as Tom scooped him up. "Let's get you cleaned up. Maybe you'll feel better afterwards."

As he was being taken away, he kept twisting to get a peek at Marinette.

She never met his eyes.

Once he was in the bathroom, Sabine helped Marinette over to the couch. "Here dear, just relax. We'll put a movie on for you both, and we'll decorate the tree! Won't that be nice?"

"Hm." She hummed noncommittally.

"You know, you have a lot of people that want to see you. So for Christmas Eve tomorrow, we're thinking about having a big dinner. With the Cesaire's, and Grandma and Grandpa, Chloe, and Jagged Stone and Penny! Won't that be fun?"

"Yeah." She said flatly.

"If you'd rather not, they'd completely understand."

"It's fine."

"Are you sure? I can call it off too. No pressure sweetie."

"Yeah, mom I said it's fine!" She barked, "If I didn't want to see them, I would have said no!"

"Okay," Sabine said patiently. "I just want you to be in control, but I also want you to have fun."

Marinette sighed. Then she leaned over the back of the couch and looked in her bag. Not finding what she was looking for, she asked, more politely, "maman? Did you pack my favorite blanket? The gray and red plaid one?"

"I packed your bag," Alya clarified. "And no, I didn't. Sorry girl. I can go grab it for you, though! Anything else you want me to get?"

"Can you also grab my cat pillow?"

"Sure thing!"

"Wait a second, Alya, have Tom go with you."

Marinette waited, sitting on the couch and looking out to the city. It was a gray, bleak sky, and even the buildings looked desaturated. While the twinkling of the lights in her peripheral vision showed a warm environment, the landscape in front of her reminded her of just how cold and unforgiving the world was. And how cold it would continue to be in the coming weeks. Perhaps even for the rest of her life.

Alya plopped down on the couch next to her. "So what do you want to watch? Hallmark's got some really great ones this year. And by great, I mean terrible. We can play your favorite game: car accident or cancer?"

"I don't want to watch a Hallmark movie. Too fake. Too predictable."

"Alright, you want a classic one then? Something you've seen a hundred times before?"

"Yeah…yeah I think that's what I want."

"Okay." Alya dashed up to Adrien's movie collection. "God, he's got like every movie ever made up here! Umm…oh, this will work!" She grabbed the case and rushed down the stairs. "I know you like this one!" And she popped it in the player.

A black and white film. A sleepy scenic town, covered in a layer of fresh snow. The voices of various people called up to prayer.

And then a sea of stars, where two stars flickered in conversation.

It's a Wonderful Life.

It wasn't Christmas without it. She'd seen it a hundred times, her heart hurting until the end.

It was hitting differently this year.

Eventually, Adrien was brought out, fresh and clean. His hair damp and combed back. With Tom holding his hand, he tottered his way to the couch to sit next to Marinette.

"Tom?" Asked Sabine, "Alya was going to run to the bakery to get some stuff for Marinette. Will you go with her?"

"Of course!"

"Would you like to take the car?" Asked Gabriel.

"No, I think a walk will do just fine."

"_Buffalo Gals can't you come out tonight. Can't you come out tonight. Can't you come out tonight. Buffalo Gals can't you come out tonight and dance by the light of the moon." _

Marinette had noticed when Adrien sat next to her. He still sat just out of reach. One scoot and she'd be pressed against him.

But she didn't move. And neither did he.

"_Okay, then, I'll throw a rock at the old Granville house_."

"_Oh, no, don't. I love that old house._"

An old house indeed. It was a weather-beaten, old-fashioned two-storied house that once was no doubt resplendent.

"_No. You see, you make a wish and then try and break some glass. You got to be a pretty good shot nowadays, too._"

"_Oh, no, George, don't. It's full of romance, that old place. I'd like to live in it." _

"_In that place?" _

"_Uh-huh." _

"_I wouldn't live in it as a ghost. Now watch...right on the second floor there."_ He hurled a stone at the window and broke it. An old man sitting on his porch sat up at attention.

"_What'd you wish, George?" _

"_Well, not just one wish. A whole hatful, Mary. I know what I'm going to do tomorrow and the next day and the next year and the year after that. I'm shaking the dust of this crummy little town off my feet and I'm going to see the world. Italy, Greece, the Parthenon, the Colosseum. Then I'm coming back here and go to college and see what they know...and then I'm going to build things. I'm gonna build air fields. I'm gonna build skyscrapers a hundred stories high. I'm gonna build bridges a mile long…" _

As he talked, Mary had been listening intently. She finally stooped down and picked up a rock, weighting it in her hand.

"_Are you gonna throw a rock?"_

Mary threw her rock, and once more the sound of breaking glass echoed over the empty street.

"_Hey, that's pretty good. What'd you wish, Mary?" _

She threw him a flirty smile. "_Buffalo Gals, can't you come out tonight…_"

Alya and Tom returned from their trip, and set the pillow on the bed. Alya dropped the blanket over Marinette and Adrien both, then settled on the couch next to Adrien.

"Scooch!" Nino demanded, as he wiggled into the seat next to Alya. Alya then bumped into Adrien, who slid over to be closer to Marinette.

Their legs pressed together.

She didn't acknowledge it, or the little whimper Adrien made.

On the screen, George Bailey entered the old, run down house they had broken the windows to. It was run down, water dripping from the ceiling, and the wind was blowing the drapes around as the rain poured outside. But a huge fire burned in the fireplace. Near the fireplace, a collection of packing boxes were heaped together in the shape of a small table and covered with a checkered oilcloth, set for two. A bucket with ice and a champagne bottle sat on the table as well as a bowl of caviar. Two small chickens roasted on a spit over the fire. A phonograph played on a box, a string from the phonograph turning the chickens on the spit. A Hawaiian song played on the record. Mary stood near the fireplace looking as pretty as any bride ever looked. She smiled at George, who had been slowly taking in the whole set-up. Through a door, there was the end of a cheap bed, over the back of which is a pair of pajamas and a nightie.

"_Welcome home, Mr. Bailey." _

"_Well, I'll be...Mary, Mary, where did you…"_

Ernie, the taxi driver, shoved George forward into Mary's arms.

The record ended, and Bert and Ernie sang from outside.

_I love you truly, truly dear,_

_Life with it's sorrow, life with it's tear,_

_Fades into dreams when I feel you are near,_

_For I love you truly,_

_Truly dear!_

_Ah, love 'tis something, to feel your kind hand,_

_Ah yes, 'tis something, by your side to stand,_

_Gone is the sorrow, gone doubt and fear,_

_For you love me truly,_

_Truly dear!_

A searing pain overtook Marinette's hand. The pain of a burn, searing flesh and nerves to a blacked char. She looked down, her clenched fingers unfurling.

_Chat Noir. _

That was engraved into her palm, the scar still very angry and red. The new skin began to show through, a pale white.

_Then, by the power invested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride._

It was the voice of the officiant echoing in her head, some of his last words before he was shot and killed. The man that had married her to Adrien.

She could feel the paint on her face, the itchy tutu on her legs, and the absolute humiliation of that mockery of a wedding. The drunken singing, the groping, the lifeless eyes of a corpse on the ground.

_In that case, let's get a sailboat. Sail the world. At night, we'll be just a silhouette surrounded by a myriad of stars. Spend our nights on the glassy water, where you can't tell where the sky begins and ends. Just the two of us, free to go wherever we want_.

That was Adrien's voice, when it still sounded like him_. _The last time she heard him speak.

_When we're out of here, we'll have our perfect wedding. And then we'll go, and never look back._

"Marinette?" Alya asked.

Marinette just shook her head, and covered her face. She brought her legs up and curled up into the corner of the couch as far as she could.

Mary spoke on the screen. "_Remember the night we broke the windows in this old house? This is what I wished for._"

—

Day number...who even knew anymore. The dark and the silence made time go on forever.

But the cement was not quite as cold, the ache in her knees not so strong, and she could hear traffic.

This is a dream, she told herself. Just a nightmare.

Just like every night.

The door to her little cage opened, and there stood Ladybug. Her arms were crossed and she looked supremely disappointed.

"Well?" She asked.

"Well what? You're the one with the powers here."

Ladybug scoffed, not moving from the doorframe. "Don't act dumb. I've had it with your attitude."

"You aren't real," Said Marinette. "And my attitude? You mean my trauma? My anxiety? My paranoia? You mean the fact that I don't know who I can trust anymore? You mean the supreme weight of being closed in silence for a month? Is that what you're sick of, Ladybug? My unheroic disposition? My unladylike mannerisms?"

Ladybug looked at her unflinching. "No. That's not what I'm talking about at all. And you know it."

Marinette turned away. "I really wish it was."

"Because you have an excuse for it?"

"And a logical explanation."

"I don't think violent torture is logical."

"No. No it's not." Marinette scoffed. "Look, do you have a reason for bothering me? Or did you just come here to taunt me? O ghost of Christmas past?"

"You know why I'm here."

"No, I really don't. This is a dream right? Dreams don't make sense. They say dreams have hidden meanings, but I really doubt reliving every torment I dealt with in the past month is anything but trauma."

Ladybug snapped her fingers, and in an instant, they were in Adrien's room. Marinette was on the couch, where she had elected to sleep, despite the insistence against it from everyone else.

She didn't look, but she knew Adrien was in his bed.

"You're acting weird around Adrien again." Ladybug stated coldly. "Why?"

"I don't know." She shrugged.

"You don't know? Really? After all you've been through together, now you're avoiding him?"

"I'm not avoiding him!"

"You haven't said a word to him since he fought his way to you in the hospital!"

"He can't speak! It wouldn't be fair!"

"You won't even look at him!"

"That's not true!"

"Look at him right now!"

"I—I can't!"

"You can't? Or you won't?"

Marinette trembled. "I can't...I can't bear it..."

"Bear what, Marinette?"

It took awhile for her to have an answer.

"I…I don't know him." She confessed.

Ladybug didn't answer, only looked down at her, waiting.

"I don't know if I ever knew him. How could I, if Chat and Adrien never felt like the same person? And now…this—" She cut herself off. "I'm horrible. I'm cruel. And I'm unfair. I'm not the Marinette I used to be, so why would he be different? Shouldn't I just…love him regardless?"

Ladybug sat daintily next to her. "You know love isn't easy. People change, and so must your love. But it's not going to if you don't communicate with him."

"He can't talk."

"He can listen. And he can see. And he's aware of every time you push him away. And he has no idea why you are. But, knowing him, he's probably thinking the worst."

Marinette turned to look at him. He curled up in his bed, looking far too small for the king sized mattress.

He looked restless and tense.

"You don't have to have all the answers right now. But don't push away the person who understands your pain the most. Now wake up!"

Marinette jolted awake, still on the couch. This time for real. She blinked a few times, noticing that it was snowing outside. The lights from the garden shined up to illuminate the flakes.

Then, she noticed the blond head by her elbows. He was sitting on the floor, resting against the couch and watching the snowfall.

"Adrien?" She whispered, ever so gently.

He turned his head, looking at her with wide green eyes, full of panic. He had been caught.

"Can't sleep?" She asked again, still gently.

He shook his head, no.

She sat up, making room for him. "Would you like to sit up here? It'll be more comfortable."

He took her invitation and climbed onto the couch.

Marinette took note of his posture, tense, closed off, unsure as he continued to watch the snow fall.

"I'm sorry." She breathed.

He glanced at her again, his eyebrows furrowing.

"I…this is going to sound so stupid, but…now that we're not in mortal peril anymore, I've been thinking…"

Tears gathered in his eyes as he started to scoot farther away from her.

"No, wait, Adrien…ugh." She grimaced and shook her head. "Look, Chat Noir and Adrien were always so different from each other. I told you I loved you, and I do, and I didn't lie. But…if the reveal had happened naturally, I would have wanted more time."

He looked less upset now, and more just curious as he cocked his head.

"Time to reconcile the two versions of you into one. But the person you are now is even more different…I'm just confused. And I still feel…really guilty about getting us into this position in the first place." Tears started to sting at her own eyes before she shut them tight to will them away. "I'm sorry for pushing you away, Kitty."

A hand fell on her shoulder. Sure, and strong as he gave her a little squeeze.

"_Hey, no sweat Marinette._" She could almost hear his voice.

His hand trailed down her arm to take her hand, before he gave it a little squeeze and brought it to his lips to kiss.

"_There's nothing to forgive, my lady._"

When she opened her eyes, she let out a shuddering sigh at the look on his face. One of adoration and trust. That slight smile, and eyes that sparkled with warmth.

Adrien.

The boy she loved. Her partner.

The line was blurred, but not completely gone. But things already felt better.

He let go of her hand and held out his arm, asking for a hug.

She fell into him, letting his warmth seep into her soul. He smelled like Adrien used to smell, and had a quiet purr that Chat always had.

"I love you," she whispered. "I really love you."

He squeezed her tighter and kissed her head.

They stayed like that for a while, until Adrien yawned.

"Let's get back to bed, huh?"

He gestured to his bed.

"Yeah, I'll join you."

He beamed.

Slowly, they both shuffled to the bed, and dropped onto it. Marinette spread her blanket over both of them and snuggled down to rest. The bed really was more comfortable than the couch.

Adrien hooked his ankles with hers, and reached out to take her hand.

She just scooted closer and wrapped an arm around his waist. Then she left a peck on his lips. "Needy kitty."

He nuzzled against her head, lulling her back to sleep with his purrs.


	41. Humbugging

"You better not be naked!" Was the only warning Marinette and Adrien got before the blanket was ripped off.

"Oh good, I don't know what I would have done if you were."

Marinette rolled over to look at the interloper. A blonde, hands on her hips, and looking down at them with a superior smirk.

"Chloe?"

"In the flesh! Now, I know you missed your number one fan, but Gabriel was hesitant to let me visit while you were in the hospital. Something about being 'too excited' and 'physically rough'. Naturally, I consented to wait, because I'm self-sacrificing and I knew I'd leap on my Adrikins the moment I saw him!"

Adrien grunted, and pulled Marinette closer to him, still very tired.

"Why are you here?" Marinette asked, not hiding the irritation in her voice.

"Because it's Christmas Eve and I was invited!"

"No, I meant, why are you here in Adrien's room, this early in the morning?"

"As I said, it's Christmas Eve. We're having a big party and I'm going to give you a makeover!"

"Like hell you are."

"What, you don't expect to have dinner with Jagged Stone, Gabriel Agreste, and moi in your pajamas do you?"

"It's not comfortable to wear anything else right now."

"A poor excuse."

Marinette scoffed. "Chloe, get out of my face. Get out of this room! Don't you dare think you can boss me around!"

Not one to be impressed by anger, Chloe huffed and turned to Adrien. "Adrikins, do you believe this? I'm here to help and she just…spits in my face!"

Adrien did not share her sentiment, as he growled at her in disapproval.

Chloe deflated. "Look…Do you want me to get sappy? Cause I will. I wouldn't be here if I didn't care, okay? Ladybug gave me a chance and was patient with me, even when I was mean to Marinette. I owe you a lot. So just...let me do this." Then she grimaced. "Please?"

Marinette let out a groan. "Ugh, fine. But take it easy on me, okay?"

"Just going to do your hair and a little make up, and I brought this outfit over that you're going to look fab in!"

"Can't wait." She said dully.

—

Truth be told, it really wasn't all that bad. The dress Chloé brought was gorgeous, a black base with a red lace overlay. It was comfortable and fit just a little loose, though would have fit her perfectly if she was at her normal weight.

"I was going to bring you Louboutin heels, but Alya said you had stitches on the bottom of your feet. Naturally, I protested because you know as well as I that beauty is pain. But I suppose you can just wear them some other time. I'm expecting you to, you hear me?"

"You want to give me louboutins? Knowing my knack for tripping on a flat surface?"

"Oh puh-lease. Louboutins are designed for Ladybug! Black and red? Fierce? And besides, if you do fall on your face, that will just make me even happier!"

"Gee, thanks."

Chloe was surprisingly gentle when styling her hair. She curled it and pinned it elegantly.

The shaved side of her head still had 'Cochon' tattooed on it. Not much to do about it at this stage, but her hair was dark enough and had grown a bit so it was a little harder to see.

"I think I'll give you Smokey eye! Cover up those bags, and really make those sapphires pop!"

"If you say so. Just don't stab my eyeball."

"No promises!"

As Chloe carefully applied the eye shadow, she spoke, "you know, I never believed for a second that you took naked pictures of Adrien back then."

Marinette rolled her eyes, though the action went unnoticed. "Sure. Because you were so supportive back then."

"I was plenty supportive!"

"Chloe, if you want to pretend you're a good person now, fine. Good for you. But I spend a month in silence, reliving that moment in the classroom over and over again. You mocked me, just like everyone else. Don't try to rewrite history."

"Mocking people is a reflex. No matter if I agree with them or not. It's what I do."

Marinette gave a defeated shrug. "I guess I believe that much." She shook her head and pulled away from Chloe's makeup brush, "but, look. I can see what's happening here, and I'm going to warn you now. You all of a sudden want to be friends with me because you found out I was Ladybug. You hate me. You've said it several times before, right to my face. You've purposefully gotten me in trouble just for kicks. And now, you're trying to just sweep it under the rug. I understand guilt. I understand gratitude towards Ladybug. But we're not friends. I have a lot of hurt and anger from the past that I'm not just letting go. Right now, I need real friends around me. And so does Adrien. So if you're here for clout, or in it for personal gain, and I find out? You will never speak to Adrien or I again. Do I make myself clear?"

Chloe shrunk at the tone. Though Marinette hadn't really given her a warm reception at any point of the day, the raw venom that dripped from her lips was so sharp, so vile, that it was repulsive. She didn't sound like Marinette or Ladybug.

Chloe didn't say anything for a moment, but finished applying the makeup. Then she calmly and quietly put her supplies away.

"Marinette…you make me want to be a better person. I…I was jealous. You always had friends and a warm family and just…well, everyone liked you, and you made it look effortless. So, I'm…I'm sorry." Chloe clenched her eyes tight, willing the tears to stay back. But it didn't work. "The day you were taken…" She croaked. "Alya and some other classmates came to the hotel and asked if I had seen you. I laughed then. I told them that if you had run away, then it was good, because you wouldn't have to deal with a bunch of greedy idiots. I said I was glad you were gone. But then…then I saw Ladybug and Chat Noir…"

Marinette had only ever seen Chloe break down crying like this once, and it was while she was Ladybug. Back then, she had pulled the truth out of her like an abscessed tooth. But this time, the truth was bursting from her, like she had been holding it in from that very moment.

"As soon as that…that woman took off your mask, I knew I had messed up. I was so ashamed of everything I ever did. I wanted Ladybug to respect me so much, and I just treated you like dirt. My…resentment of you would just not leave…and Adrien—" She wasn't able to finish that thought as she just broke down. She cried and cried as Marinette just sat and watched.

Finally, after many minutes, Chloe's cries started to subside, and Marinette just wadded up some toilet paper for her to dry her eyes with.

Chloe took it graciously. "I came here with a plan, you know. I was going to take charge. Not take no for an answer. Like trying to give a cat a bath. But under no circumstances was I supposed to think about what happened on the stream."

"Didn't work out, huh?"

"My plans never do."

"Well. Your tears certainly seemed genuine enough. Thank you for apologizing. This doesn't mean we're friends, but it doesn't mean we never will be."

Marinette should have braced herself for the incoming hug, but dealing with Chloe was anyways a crap shot.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyou!"

"Sure, let me go."

—

Once Marinette was all dolled up, she and Chloe came out of the bathroom for the big reveal to Adrien. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, and sat up a little straighter at Marinette's appearance. His eyes widened with unshed tears as he mouth opened slightly.

"That bad, huh?"

He opened his arms, beckoning her to him.

She obliged, standing between his legs so he could press himself against her stomach. She patted his head.

"You didn't think you'd get out of a makeover too, did you?" Chloe asked, trying to get her bossy attitude back.

Adrien looked up at her, slightly afraid.

"I'll have to help you with him, Chloe." Marinette added. "He's still too weak to stand on his own."

"Fine then!" She went to the dress bag she had brought along and took out Adrien's outfit. "Here we go!"

It was a lovely black cashmere sweater, with neon green pinstripes. But the pants were white.

"He can't wear those pants Chloe."

"And why not? He looks good in white pants!"

"It's not that…his skin graft…"

"On his back though? That's why the sweater is black!"

Marinette sighed. "Where do you think they got the skin for the graft?"

"Oh."

"Not that he is actively bleeding down there, but his bandages do leak. It's best if he wears black.

"Yeah, okay," she relented pretty quickly. She put the white pants away and went into Adrien's closet in search of black slacks.

While she was away, Marinette helped Adrien out of his pajamas. It was slow work with the stitches in his back. First his sweatshirt was removed, then his shirt. Then Marinette held him up as he shucked off his sweatpants.

Chloe returned when he was down to his underwear.

She nearly shrieked.

Adrien flinched at the sound, and coiled closer to Marinette.

"It's alright, she was just startled," Marinette soothed. Then turning to Chloe, "You've seen him naked before, there's nothing to be startled about."

"I-I know…I just…his sweatshirt hid…" She didn't finish her sentence. She didn't need to.

Both Marinette and Adrien lost a substantial amount of weight in solitary, due to starvation and atrophy. But since Adrien was so tall, he looked much worse. Chloe could wrap her hand around his forearm and touch her fingers.

It wasn't the worst that they looked, but it still wasn't great. There was a long road of recovery left.

Getting Adrien dressed was easier, since Chloe had been able to help. She just gave him a little foundation to cover the bags around his eyes. Then she gelled his hair to look a little neater, sort of how it used to be.

But with blond hair, the word 'chatte' was still clearly visible on the side of his head.

"Are…you guys planning on getting those tattoos lasered off?"

Absently, Marinette scratched her tattoo too. "I might just leave mine. I don't plan on shaving my head like this again, and my hair is dark enough, it will be covered. Otherwise, I'd have to keep it shaved the entire time it's being lasered. And it's not a one and done deal. I talked to my doctor about it. It'd be a couple sessions over several weeks…I just don't think it's worth it."

"And Adrien?"

He just shrugged.

"I guess we'll just see how it looks once his hair grows back in fully."

There was another knock at the door. "Are my kiddos decent?" Asked Tom.

"Yes papa. Come in."

Tom entered, and then cooed when he saw them. "Oh pumpkin! You both look wonderful!"

"Thank you papa."

"Here, mama thought you might want to wear these." He held out two plush pairs of house slippers.

"Oh, those look comfortable!" She dropped her pair on the floor and scooted into them, while Chloe helped Adrien put his on.

"Ready to go down? The Cesaire's are here and I heard Jagged's on his way."

"I'm ready, are you Kitty?"

Adrien gave a curt nod.

"Chloe, could you help me down the stairs? My dad has to carry Adrien."

"O-oh, yeah, sure."

The lobby was alive with merriment. Ella and Etta ran around playing tag with Alya and Nino, while Gabriel, Sabine, Roland, Gina, Otis, and the Gorilla shared coffee and croissants.

As soon as Marinette and Adrien started down the stairs, a pair of colorful blobs whirled over to them, revealing to be Tikki and Plagg.

"Ahhhh Christmas! A holiday of great food!" Cheered Plagg, "I think I'll take my first nap in my favorite spot!" And he curled up on top of Adrien's head.

Tikki looked fondly over her chosen. "You look really pretty Marinette!"

"I clean up well."

"You can bring Adrien right over here Tom." Said Gabriel, gesturing to an open spot on a loveseat.

Gingerly, Tom sat him down and brought over an ottoman so he could put his feet up.

The game of tag had ended.

"Girl, your dress is so cute! It looks perfect on you!"

"That would be Chloe's doing," Marinette tilted her head in Chloe's direction.

"Are you comfortable enough?" Sabine asked.

"I am for now."

Alya went to call her sisters over, but they were nowhere to be seen.

"Ella? Etta? Where did you guys go? It's not polite to snoop around someone else's house!"

"We're not snooping." Said a tiny voice.

Alya peered over the banister to see her sisters peeking through the stair railing, looking at Marinette and Adrien. "It's okay," she assured. "It's just Marinette and Adrien. I know they look kind of scary, but they're okay now."

"Do they know?" Marinette asked, settling on the couch next to Adrien. "Who we are?"

"You're Ladybug and Chat Noir," Said Ella.

"And you were kidnapped and tortured," Added Etta.

"We didn't let them watch the stream," Otis clarified. "But we were very open about what was happening. They were getting questions at school, since all their classmates know Alya runs the blog."

"Ah, I remember now." Marinette spoke, as the forgotten night's memory returned once again. "Lady Lacrima and Grimalkin paid your apartment a visit."

"What?!" Cried Alya. "When did this happen?! Why didn't you tell me, dad?!"

"They came and went before we could do anything. Your mother gave them some food...it was really in your best interest you weren't there."

"But we were looking for them!"

"And we were looking for you, Alya." Marinette said calmly. "But not in a good way, I'm afraid."

"Me? You were…I was one of the people you wanted to hurt?"

Marinette frowned, still caught up in a lot of bitterness. "In solitude, my annoyance with you and the class became…something of an obsession. I felt so hurt, so betrayed by my own support network that it drove me a little insane. I convinced myself that you didn't care about me. I know now that that was misguided. And even if I was truly angry at you and you had done something wrong, I never would have hurt you. It was only because I was akumatized that I sought you out with malicious intent. Can you forgive me?"

"Of course girl! I know as well as you do that akumas act against their will."

Marinette screwed up her lips. "I just remembered…when we were akumatized, Hawkmoth asked us to go home and heal, no Miraculous required. He knows our identities, and he could easily overwhelm us. I can only wonder why he hasn't contacted us yet. He was never above taking cheap shots."

Unseen to Marinette, Gabriel took a sip of his coffee, hiding his sheepish face in his mug.

"Maybe he feels guilty?" Sabine asked, helpfully.

"Maybe." Marinette sighed, scooting a little closer to Adrien. "At any rate, I'd like to thank him. He saved us. Or, rather, gave us the ability to save ourselves. Whether or not he is still after the Miraculous, he still saved our lives."

Ella and Etta had started to creep closer, still keeping a healthy distance as the adults talked.

Marinette noticed and looked right at them, making them recoil slightly.

"You don't have to be afraid." She said calmly, "but you don't have to accept us. If you'd rather stay away, that's fine. I'd understand after how badly we scared you."

"You remember?"

"Yes. It didn't happen right away, but we remember it all now."

"Wow, cool." This seemed to intrigue them more than push them away. "We don't remember what it was like being Sapotis."

"Is it because you're Ladybug?"

Marinette shrugged. "We don't know why we remember, it just sort of happened."

"Ella, Etta," Otis scolded. "Don't smother them."

"But daddy-"

Before anymore arguments could happen, the front doors banged open, making Adrien and Marinette jump in fear.

"Who's ready to Rock and Roll!?" A voice shouted before a guitar riff filled the air.

Adrien and Marinette relaxed slightly, but still on edge because of the noise.

"Do you not know how to knock?" Asked Gabriel.

But Jagged ignored it. "Christmas! My favorite time of the year! And I can't wait to spend it with my favorite artist and model!"

Marinette gave him a fond smile. "Hello Jagged."

"There she is! The most beautiful girl in Paris! How are you, love?"

"I'm getting there."

"Can't ask for more than that, hmm? And you Adrien? You doing better?"

He shrugged.

"Fair enough. Now," he gestured Penny forward. "I have a gift for both of you, since it is Christmas."

"You didn't have to, Jagged."

"Sure I didn't have to, what's the fun in that? Here," he handed them both shiny wrapped squares. "Open them now, I'm dying to see your faces!"

Marinette smiled gently and unwrapped the gift. Inside was a CD case. "Lady Luck? What's this?"

"Its my new album! A complete surprise that I'm going to drop next week, and you get advanced signed copies!"

"This is wonderful, Jagged. Thank you!"

"And the best part," he paused for emphasis. "All the songs are about you and Chat Noir! Your powers, akumas you fought, things you've said…it's been in the works for a while. You're very inspiring, Marinette."

Looking at the track listings, it was evident where he had pulled inspiration from. 'Lucky' 'Cataclysm' 'My Lady' 'A bit of string and a paperclip'.

"I can't wait to listen to it." She said honestly.

Adrien nodded in agreement.

The dining room doors opened, and Marlena entered. "Lunch is served!"

Brown sugar glazed ham, potatoes AU gratin, fresh croissants and rolls, green beans, and a desert of ribbon jello.

A feast!

Adrien picked at his food, his stomach clenching in unpleasant ways. He was hungry at first, but quickly became full and then nauseous. Marinette wasn't too far behind.

They just weren't used to good food.

"Are you alright?" Sabine asked gently. "You've barely touched your food."

"My stomach hurts." She said as she set her silverware down. Adrien did the same.

"Do you not like ham?" Asked Marlena. "I can make you something else."

"No no, it's amazing! I just…I think I'm full. I'm sorry."

"It's alright. There will be leftovers."

Adrien twisted in his chair, trying to keep the weight off of his wounds. This chair was just not comfortable.

"Do you want to go sit in the living room?" Sabine asked. "I can bring you some sprite and saltines."

"Yeah, I think that might help."

Tom stood and came over to help Adrien. They both went to the living room, and sat down on the couch.

Adrien instantly felt better.

"Here's the remote," Tom said, handing it to her. "We'll join you when we finish lunch, alright?"

"Take your time. We'll just get started on the Christmas movie marathon."

Adrien pointed at a blanket draped over a chair and grunted.

"Cold?"

He whimpered.

"Okay, let's get this for you." Tom unfurled the blanket and draped it over both of them. "There, nice and snuggly buggly."

"Thanks papa."

"Of course my little ginger snap." He kissed her head.

Adrien whimpered again.

"And you too, my little sea salt caramel macaron." He also gave Adrien a kiss to the forehead.

Adrien smiled.

Not too far behind was Sabine with two glasses of sprite, a jar of tums, and a sleeve of saltine crackers. "I'm sorry baby, I didn't even think that your stomachs might not handle heavy food like that."

"It's alright. I wanted to eat all of that. And it was wonderful. A few tums and a nap, and I'll be fine."

Adrien was already settling for a winter's nap, as he pulled the blanket up to his chin and closed his eyes.

Marinette took some antacid, a few sips of sprite, and then laid her head on his shoulder. She flipped through the channels to find a station marathoning Christmas movies, and just let herself relax and enjoy the afternoon.

_Keep the change, ya filthy animal._

—

At some point, Marinette vaguely recognized the Grinch song playing and blinked to wakefulness. She had fallen asleep on Adrien's shoulder as he slept on her. Alya was next to her on the couch, and Nino was next to her.

Everyone was in the room, some asleep in chairs, while most watched the movie.

"Hey sleepyhead," Alya said softly as Marinette rose to wakefulness. "Feeling better?"

"A bit." Marinette admitted.

Adrien also shifted with the noise, sitting up and wincing.

"You alright, Honey?" Sabine asked as she noticed his facial expression.

He tapped on his wrist twice, the sign they had made up for him to use whenever he needed medicine.

Sabine nodded patiently and left to get it.

"So, Nino's going to have to take off soon." Alya began.

"We celebrate with my mom's side of the family on Christmas Eve, and then my dad's side on Christmas day. I would like to spend more time here, but I don't see them often..." He rubbed the back of his neck.

"It's alright, Nino. I understand."

"But before he goes…" Alya stood and put her hands on her hips. "Your dad said we have to find a pickle."

Adrien scrunched up his face as he looked at her.

"That's the same reaction I had, Sunshine." Alya laughed. "He didn't explain anything! He just said it was tradition and you specifically asked for it!"

Marinette smiled. "It's not an actual pickle, just a glass ornament."

"Okay, and it's hidden?"

"Yes, papa hides it, and then mama and I look for it. Whoever finds it, gets a prize."

"Why have I never heard of this before?" Asked Nino. "I want to win a prize!"

"I guess I never thought of it before. We've just always done it."

"The pickle is somewhere in the lobby," Tom explained. "If it gets too hard, we can do hot and cold."

The players included Marinette, Alya, Nino, Chloe, Ella and Etta, and Jagged. Adrien was moved to a nearby chair to watch the whole thing unfold, his father sitting at his side.

"It's odd to watch people tear our house apart over a pickle." Stated Gabriel, watching as one of the twins tipped a priceless vase over very carefully to look inside. Luckily, she righted it a moment later without incident.

Adrien watched for a few minutes, getting antsy.

"Do you want to join?" Asked Plagg, sitting on his shoulder.

Adrien nodded.

"I can make that happen."

Adrien's eyes widened minutely at the insinuation. Surely, for something like this it would be okay…with an almost inaudible murmur, a flash of green took the room and grabbed the attention of everyone in it.

Chat Noir stood shakily on stronger legs.

"Adrien?" Gabriel asked with concern.

Adrien simply pointed at the others and whined.

"I…suppose there's no harm in it. Just don't over exert yourself."

Thrilled, Adrien toddled over to a corner of the room and started to search through a bookshelf close to the front door.

A little tug on his tail pulled his attention away.

It was Marinette of course, looking at him so smugly. "You know you're standing under mistletoe, right kitty?"

Chat looked up, noting that there was a sprig of mistletoe above his head, before the secondary thought of 'is that a pickle?' hit his brain.

But by then, Marinette already had her arms around his neck and was pulling him down to her.

Kissing Adrien would never get old. Not in a million years would she deny his taste, his touch, his scent. His claws delicately caressed her back, walking up her spine and sending shivers down to her toes.

Distantly, she heard someone make a gagging noise before she pulled away.

When she opened her eyes, he held a glass pickle right in front of her nose.

"Well, well, looks like we have a winner." She smiled.

Chat just shrugged, put the ornament on the shelf, and went back in for another kiss.

—

It was late. Today had been hectic, but definitely worth it. Tomorrow, they would all gather in the living room and open all the gifts fans had sent. Tom was making coffee cake, and Adrien and Marinette had a pair of matching sweaters that said, "why is the carpet all wet, Todd?" "I don't know, Margo."

It was all very soft and warm and exactly what the kids needed.

But there was still a lot of uncertainty on the horizon, mainly regarding Hawkmoth. He owed it to them to come clean, but Gabriel was hesitant to say anything. Despite the encouraging progress they were making, he still clearly saw the instability. One wrong move, and they would both shut down.

His phone pinged with a new email.

Or rather, an old email. An address he hadn't seen in a long time, and immediately brought tears to his eyes.

_My darling Gabriel,_

_I finally walked to the village on my own. The monks have cleared me to leave. Nathalie is preparing the return trip, though it looks like it should be a few weeks away._

_I miss you and Adrien greatly, though I'm sure not as much as you miss me. Nathalie told me the basics of what happened, and I am prepared for the worst, I suppose. I understand if I won't be able to see Adrien right away. I always want what's best for him. _

_Just tell me what to do. _

_And I think I deserve an explanation. I heard you've been naughty while I've been gone. But I would prefer to discuss this in person. _

_Either way, I love you, and Merry Christmas._

_Love, _

_Emilie_


	42. Speaking

"So, it's been two weeks since Dr. Boucher removed your vocal nodules. Have you spoken to anyone yet?"

Adrien shook his head.

This was his first therapy session. Dr. Robin Zollar, a woman that exuded warmth and kindness. Her voice was sweet and a little silly, and she reminded him of the fairy godmother from Cinderella. That may have been why he was responding to her so well.

Besides speaking, of course.

"Does your throat still hurt?"

Shake.

"Have you actually tried speaking?"

Shake.

"And I'm guessing you really have no desire to either, right?"

Nod.

"Okay. Talking with Marinette, it seems like she's been speaking a lot on your behalf. That's fine and all, but you will need to develop a voice of your own. Do you feel like you have no need to speak?"

Nod.

"Because Marinette speaks for you?"

Shake.

"No? Well, that is a lot different than I expected. I would like to know a little bit more about that. Would you be willing to write down what it is that you're feeling, if you won't say it out loud?" She pushed a pen and pad of paper towards him.

He stared at it for a long while.

—

"You're serious?" Marinette crossed her arms and frowned at him.

Gabriel held a tennis ball in his hand. "I mean, it wasn't my idea. But my therapist said it might be a good way to connect with Adrien."

"Catch. With his arm in a sling."

"That's why it's a tennis ball."

Marinette sighed and looked at Adrien. "What do you think, kitty?"

He sat at the end of his bed and shrugged.

"A little physical activity isn't going to kill you." Gabriel admonished.

"Yeah, but it could pull his stitches if he's not careful."

"Do I look stupid, Marinette? It's not even catch, we're just tossing it back and forth."

Marinette frowned at the man, while Adrien gave a weak grunt.

Gabriel tossed him the ball, and Adrien caught it, throwing it back.

"Sleep alright last night?"

"The usual," Said Marinette, on her phone while she sat on the couch.

"I was talking to Adrien."

"Right."

Marinette listened as the ball was tossed back and forth a few times. Before Gabriel repeated again, "Did you sleep alright last night?"

Adrien didn't respond.

"I said, did you sleep well?"

There was a grunt.

"Shrugging and grunting mean nothing to me. The doctor gave the okay, you can use your voice now."

"He doesn't want to talk," Marinette pressed. "Don't force him."

"Marinette, again, I'm talking to Adrien."

She chuckled darkly, knowing his efforts were fruitless.

"I have someone who's coming to visit soon. And your Aunt Amilie and Felix want to come and visit too. That will be fun, won't it?"

Marinette closed her phone and sat up, looking over the back of the couch to watch this awkward one sided conversation.

"Felix himself emailed me and asked me about you. He wanted continual updates, since they didn't get the same news broadcast over in London. He really cares about you."

Adrien just pitifully watched the ball, but did little else. It was obvious Gabriel was not happy with his body language, so he steeled himself into a neutral, professional posture.

Marinette hated it.

"Nathalie was helping with the company while I was busy with the investigation with you. Now that you're safe, she'll be taking a little vacation. But she assures me that she'll be back soon, and that she can't wait to see you."

The ball was tossed, caught, tossed.

"Isn't that nice? Nathalie missed you."

Toss. Catch. Toss.

"I said, isn't that nice?"

"He's mute, not deaf." Marinette drawled.

Gabriel turned and looked at her. "Look, if you keep talking for him, and encouraging this behavior, he's never going to speak. It's learned helplessness at this point, and someone has to train it out of him. So shut up."

The tennis ball hit Gabriel in the head.

"Excuse me!?" Gabriel whirled at his son.

Adrien hissed at him, like a feral cat.

Gabriel scoffed in disgust. "You're not an animal! If you are angry with me, I expect you to use your words in a level tone."

"We were treated like animals for weeks." Marinette bit. "Sorry, it's hard to think otherwise."

"Out," Gabriel nearly shouted at her. "You're not helping. Go bother your parents for a while."

With tears in her eyes, Marinette stood and started from the room.

Adrien whined and tried to follow.

"No!" Gabriel ordered. "You stay here! We're playing catch!"

Outside the room, Marinette started down the stairs, but got weak and had to sit.

"Yikes, cringe." Said Plagg, coming up to her side.

"You saw that huh?"

"I've been trying to give you both space and privacy, but that doesn't stop me from wanting to watch over Adrien like the little fairy godfather I am."

"Was Gabriel right? Am I talking for Adrien too much?"

"Ehhhh, I tend to believe that that man is never right. Even when he's _right_ he's wrong. But in this case, he's wrong wrong. You guys are only two weeks out of the hospital. A month out of torture. I'm still trying to catch up with all the footage, and he's trying to rush the recovery process. But when you do that, it makes everything worse."

Marinette exhaled, feeling at least vindicated.

"Marinette, even if you do something 'wrong' right now, no one should blame you for it. Sure, we'll reprimand you, but you're dealing with a lot of shit, and your mind isn't totally clear. Don't feel guilty for trying to protect Adrien."

"Thanks Plagg. That helps." She glanced up at Adrien's bedroom door. "I better get back in there."

Marinette climbed the stairs again, coming up to the door.

As she opened it, she stared in horror as Gabriel stood over Adrien, a finger in his face, nearly spitting in anger.

Adrien's expression was completely zoned out. A defense mechanism that he had adopted in their hellhole.

He was gone. And would probably continue to be so for a few hours. Did his mind go blank? Or did he retreat into a daydream? There was no way of knowing.

She shouldn't have left the room.

"…not only is it disrespectful, it's counterproductive. How are we supposed to help you if you won't talk to us? You never had a problem speaking your mind before!"

Marinette slid onto the bed next to Adrien, grabbing him around the waist and pulling his head to her shoulder. "It's okay. I'm here. I'm here."

Adrien didn't respond.

Plagg got between them and Gabriel. "You're done."

"I'm only trying to help."

"You put him into shock. How does that help him? You've removed him from this plain of reality. Great job. Dad of the year."

"Look, I just wanted to—"

"Are you still here?" Marinette snapped. "Get out. Now!"

"I'm not going anywhere! This is my house, and Adrien is my son!"

"He's my husband!"

Gabriel clenched his fist. "That wedding was a sham. You're as much of his wife as you are a ball and chain around his ankle. He'll never get better with you dragging him back!"

The door swung open, banging against the wall. Marinette jumped at the noise and held onto Adrien.

Tom and Sabine entered, having been sent for by Tikki.

"Can you give us a moment?" Gabriel asked like he hadn't just verbally punched Marinette in the gut. "We were having a discussion."

Sabine said nothing, but slapped Gabriel across his face. "Be glad it was only a slap." She bit.

"That's assault!"

"And I bet the judge will be real sympathetic to you after what you said to our daughter and son-in-law."

Gabriel just scowled at them. "I feel like we've had this discussion before."

"We did, and last time, Adrien started crying. We can continue this discussion out in the lobby."

"I'm not done talking to Adrien!"

Tom cracked his knuckles. "Oh, yes you are." With one swift scoop, Tom had Gabriel draped over his shoulder like a sack of flour.

"Put me down! I can walk!"

"This is what I used to do with Marinette when she was a child and threw tantrums in a store. You're going to act like a child, we're going to treat you like a child."

"I'm not a child!" Was the last thing Marinette heard before Sabine shut the door.

"Are you alright honey?" Sabine asked, sitting beside Adrien.

Marinette swallowed back tears. "I knew it…I want to help Adrien…but I'm making everything worse…"

Sabine looked to heaven. "Lord, I'm going to kick that man's ass." She shook her head. "No, no Marinette, Adrien needs you right now." She delicately pet Adrien's hair. "He feels safe around you, and you understand him the best. Gabriel is lost and frustrated right now. He has no idea how to act. And believe me, it's hard for us too. I worry every day about what the right thing to do is."

"But you don't…you don't yell at me."

"Because yelling at you never helped in the past. We've talked sternly to you when you were in trouble, and we did groundings, and the occasional spanking when you were very very bad. But yelling only made you afraid and distrusting. I suspect that's the attitude from Adrien he's used to."

Adrien didn't respond in any way, just continued to bore a hole in the floor with his dull gaze.

"The doctor said that you being together was good. And what does Gabriel know about this kind of stuff? He designs clothes."

Marinette cracked a smile.

"Your father and I will sit him down and have a good stern talking to him. He's the one making things worse."

Marinette breathed a calming breath. "Okay." She let go of Adrien, only to take hold of his face and guide him to look at her. "Kitty?"

He blinked owlishly at her.

"You with me?"

Another slow blink.

"Is he alright?" Sabine asked.

"No, he's—" Marinette clenched her eyes shut. "He was like this back in…"

"That place."

"Yeah, he…when things would get bad, he sort of…shut down. Salo said it was a sign of death. I think he's trying to protect himself." She pet his hair, and kissed his cheeks.

"What can I do to help?"

"Can we move him to the couch?"

Sabine nodded and stood, wrapping an arm around his waist.

Despite being mentally checked out, he was still respondent to movement. As they pulled him to his feet, he stood on his own, though still weakly. They guided him slowly over to the couch and had him sit down.

"Here's a nice warm blanket. Do you want some tea?"

"Yes please, maman."

Plagg spoke up from where he was silently watching. "I think Adrien would really enjoy a coke."

"Are you sure?"

"He might only have a few sips, but it's his favorite drink." Then he whispered conspiratorially, "but his dad never lets him have it."

"Okay, I think I'm following."

"Marinette, you play video games, right?" Plagg asked.

"Uh, yeah?"

"Good. I'll put in his favorite game, and you play it, and see if that rouses him."

"Good thinking!"

Plagg floated over to the TV, and turned on the console while Sabine left to get them snacks.

Marinette leaned over and placed another kiss on his cheek.

The drum beats started up as the main menu came up.

Marinette groaned. "Skyrim..."

"What? Don't like it?"

"I've never played it!"

"You've never played Skyrim?!" Plagg nearly shouted in mock offense. He didn't actually care, but old Adrien would have.

"I know the memes, Sneak 100, 'I took an arrow to the knee' but I never actually sat down and played it. It's so long!"

"Well, you got a lot of time on your hands now. Might as well start!"

"Yeah, might as well..."

She modeled her character to look like Ladybug, with red paint over the eyes to replicate a mask.

As she started playing, Sabine came back and left the snacks.

Marinette paused the game to help Adrien take a few sips of his drink. She placed the can in his good hand and brought it to his lips. Then she tilted the can slightly, watching as he drank on his own.

It didn't rouse a response.

"If this goes on much longer, I'm going to call the doctor." Said Sabine. "I'm worried."

"Me too." Said Marinette, sweeping the bangs from his forehead.

Sabine stayed and watched the game, wincing when Marinette sliced someone's head off with a sword.

"This is pretty gory, are you doing okay?"

"Yeah, it's almost cartoonish. I...I did much worse."

Marinette continued to sneak glances at Adrien. He seemed to be watching the screen now, instead of looking through it. His eyes followed her character, and Sabine took it as a sign that he had mostly come back around.

"Feeling a little better, Adrien?" She asked.

He hummed.

So she left them alone.

Tikki sat on Marinette's lap, while Plagg nuzzled into Adrien's hair. The room was quiet, the volume on the game turned down, and only soft ambient music was heard.

"I love you."

Marinette blinked. The voice was so soft, so rough, and wavering, she didn't think she heard it at first. But she turned to look at Adrien, seeing that he was looking at her. Her breathing picked up, as she waited, begging him to speak again. She bit her lip to keep her from speaking and interrupting if he did say something.

"I didn't know what else to say."

She shook her head at him, and turned her body to face him. "Say whatever you want. You know I won't judge." She leaned in, staring deep into his eyes to prove he had her full attention.

Adrien rested a hand on hers, squeezing slightly. He met her gaze, holding it with his breath.

"You…" He began, only to pause.

"Yes?" She urged.

"You…are really bad at this game."

Marinette nearly collapsed on him, she was laughing so hard.

—

Adrien recalled this very special moment with his lady after the therapist handed the notepad. So he had lied. He had spoken to someone. His other half, his partner, his soulmate. But it felt a lot less like 'finally speaking' then it did sharing a secret. He had confided as much in her then. He still didn't want to talk, but with her it was different.

With her, he felt safe, free, and wanted. He could talk for hours, or say nothing. Either way, he was comfortable.

"Adrien?" The therapist asked delicately, as he hadn't written anything. "If you prefer not to answer, that's fine too. We have a half an hour left in this session."

He was inclined to write out his feelings just as much as he was to speak. It was hard to find the words. Much less ones that were worthy of being spoken.

Finally, he admitted what he didn't want to.

_Why bother speaking if no one will listen?_

—

It was evening when she arrived. The sun was just about to set, sending La Grande Paris into glittering gold and orange light.

Though it felt weird to be staying in a hotel when her home was just a block away.

Disguised with sunglasses and a handkerchief, Emilie was escorted upstairs to the nicest suite available.

And inside awaited her dearly beloved husband.

"Gabriel?" She asked softly.

She heard his breath caught in his throat. "Emilie…" In a few quick strides, he was on her, embracing her, kissing her, weeping on her. "I've missed you so much…"

"I'm here darling, I'm here…" She whispered, shedding tears of her own.

They stayed that way a long while, just in each other's arms. Occasionally sharing kisses and words of love.

Finally, Gabriel pulled away to look her up and down. "You must be exhausted."

"I'm actually not. I slept on the plane, and then I've been nervous ever since landing."

"Nervous? About what?"

"About being gone, seeing you again, what I'm going to see…"

"Oh." He huffed. "Well, did you want to shower? Are you hungry?"

"Yes to both."

"I've packed some clothes for you. Why don't we get you all settled in, and then I'll tell you the whole sad story."

"And Adrien?"

"He's home."

"When will I get to see him?"

Gabriel gnawed on his bottom lip. "Well…soon, I hope. But, he's changed a lot."

"So have you." Emilie pet his hair. "You've gone gray."

"I think I look distinguished."

"You look old."

"You haven't aged a day, my love."

Emilie smiled softly, leaning in to give him a small kiss. "Flatterer."

"But about Adrien…you see, he's not speaking to anyone. I'm hoping that seeing you again will give him that spark."

"Does he know what happened?"

"…not quite."

"What does he think happened to me? Does he think I'm dead? Would seeing me shock him?"

"I think it might be a little shocking, but he just thinks you disappeared. Makes things a little easier to explain."

"Speaking of explaining…"

"Shower, dinner, then I'll get to it."

—

At 3 AM, Gabriel hustled out of La Grande Paris, having done far too much damage. Good thing it was dark, or half of Paris would have questioned why _the_ Gabriel Agreste was leaving a hotel late at night while a mysterious woman screamed obscenities at him from a balcony.


	43. Eating

Bonus Scene from last chapter:

Emilie reclined on the couch next to her husband. She had a glass of whiskey in her hand, her drink of choice. A silken robe covered her form as she rested against the plush cushions.

But she was not relaxed. Not in the slightest.

Gabriel had pulled up the Ladyblog on the smart TV and proceeded to go down the timeline of akumas. Thankfully, Alya had organized the blog to skip all the theories and fluff articles. Only the actions of the heroes and Hawkmoth were shown.

Emilie had scooted away from him when he said, "I was a terrorist." But she stayed long enough to hear that none of his damage or casualties were permanent. And that he had some regret about his actions. He had been desperate to get her back, and admitted that he had crossed the line so many times.

So now he was admitting to all of his crimes. He was coming clean to her, so she could judge him fairly and for herself.

"I had no idea that Adrien was Chat Noir. I didn't know until his identity was revealed."

Emilie found this to be a lie, however, since he reached an Akuma in the timeline when he suspected Adrien to be Chat Noir.

Gorizilla, that was the name. The bodyguard Emilie had known forever was the poor victim. He had turned into a giant blue ape and had Adrien in his grasp.

And then...and then...

Emilie watched in horror as the Akuma dropped her son, her baby, off the side of the building.

"I had hoped that he would transform to save himself, but he very cleverly called my bluff—"

The glass of whiskey was now empty, as it's contents were in his face.

Perhaps he had been too honest.

"My baby! My precious little boy! My innocent sweet sunshine boy! You let him get thrown off of a roof on a hunch?!"

"I wasn't going to let him hit the bottom. Ladybug saved him."

"WELL I'M GLAD SOMEONE WAS ON TOP OF IT!" She shouted. "I can't believe you! Of all the low down, dirty, rotten, conniving tricks!"

"Emilie please—"

"I should throw you off the building and see how you like it!"

"Please calm down."

"Calm down?! CALM DOWN?!" She found one of her heels she had kicked off earlier. "Gabriel Maurice Agreste! I'm going to murder you!"

He looked at her flatly. "We haven't even gotten to the worst part."

Emilie's primal scream of rage made something click in his brain.

It was time to go.

* * *

To say that Tom, Sabine, and Gabriel were surprised would be an understatement.

There, standing at the top of the stairs, arm and arm, were Ladybug and Chat Noir. Not Adrien and Marinette, but the costumed heroes that everyone loved. With added hats and scarfs to protect from the December air.

Tom was the first to recover and gave them a disarming smile. "Hey kiddos! Where's the fire?"

"No fire." Said Ladybug. "Ice Cream."

"Ice cream? In January?" Asked Gabriel. "If you want Ice Cream, you could have just asked."

Ladybug shook her head. "Alya figured out where Andre's Ice Cream cart is. We want to go."

"Okay, well, we could drive you—" started Sabine.

"No!" Ladybug shouted. "I need to get out of this house or I'm going to explode! I need to get away from the smothering! I need to feel the sun on my skin and the wind—" she choked. "I need to get out there for just a little while."

"Your suits will draw attention." Gabriel said it as a thought to be considered, and not a warning.

"I know. But won't it help? Isn't everyone asking about us?"

Tom gave a little smile. "What's the harm? Can you just text us when you get there?"

"I can do that." Ladybug smiled.

Gabriel spoke up. "Did you make sure Adrien wanted to go?"

"It was his idea." She said cooly.

"Well, I have been disarmed." Gabriel shrugged. "Just please be careful."

"There's nothing to worry about." Ladybug assured.

After they both left, Tom looked at his wife and Gabriel. "They amaze me. They are doing so well!"

"I agree. Especially Marinette," said Gabriel. "For her to not be afraid to go out in their suits..."

"I think the suits are for strength." Added Sabine. "For them to be able to walk that far, and for protection."

"That makes sense."

She frowned. "Actually, I think it's the suits that are letting them do this well. I found them sleeping in them the other night."

Tom winced. "That's not a great sign."

Gabriel screwed up his lips in thought.

—

Outside the mansion, Ladybug and Chat Noir descended the stairs and went out to the gate. It was at the point where the media no longer lingered outside the mansion. No one had gotten a glimpse of the heroes, and they weren't likely to for a while still.

"Do you want to walk? Or take the roofs?"

"Walk. I'm still not strong enough for rooftops."

"Okay. He's not that far from here."

They made their way, hand and hand, to the Ponts des arts.

As they walked, occasionally they were bugged by passerby. Mostly with handshakes and cheek kisses, occasional selfies. Thankfully, since it was January, there weren't a lot of pedestrians.

Finally, they reached the bridge. Andre spotted them from the other side. "Ladybug! Chat Noir! Oh my favorite duo!"

Ladybug gave a soft smile to the man. "Hello Andre. One please."

"Of course! On the house!" He prepared a cone, and started to scoop. "One scoop mint chip, for Chat Noir. One scoop cherry chip, for Ladybug, and one scoop cookies and creme, for true, pure love, riddled with trials and tribulations." He stuck two spoons in the ice cream and handed it over. "Come see me whenever you like. You're always welcome here!"

"Thank you. This looks delicious!"

It was unseasonably warm. Sitting on a bench looking out on the river, ice cream in hand, everything felt normal for a little while. A lovely ice cream date, something Marinette had always wanted to do with Adrien.

He let out a long sigh.

"Are you okay? Comfortable?"

"I'm fine." He smiled at her. "My butt hurts a little, but I'll survive."

"We don't have to stay long. We'll just finish our ice cream."

"No, you were right," he breathed. "Just being outside for a while is nice." A tear rolled down his cheek. "I can't believe how much I missed this. It wasn't that long but…"

"The sunlight." Ladybug finished for him. "It's nice. I can feel it."

"And the wind. And hearing the birds. Hearing the water. It's all nice."

They ate in companionable silence for a while. Living in the moment with blank minds.

"Hey, you beat us!" Alya called as they approached.

"We decided to get out before school let out and everyone ruined our fun." Said Ladybug.

Alya and Nino got their ice cream and joined them on the bench.

"So, how's the dynamic duo today? Haven't gotten to spend a lot of time with you since we both moved back home."

"Well, we have sweethearts ice cream. Not much to complain about."

"Anybody give you trouble on the way out?"

"A couple people wanted pictures, and to express sympathy. It wasn't bad."

"It helps that it's not tourist season, and it's a weekday."

"I'm sure. What kind of ice cream did you get?"

"Neapolitan. Or as Andre now calls it, Ninopolitan. Just for us."

"That's adorable."

"I'm not usually a fan of strawberry ice cream either, but Andre's is so good."

"His chocolate is amazing." Added Nino. "I want him to make my wedding cake out of it."

"What, you don't want my dad's better-than-crack chocolate cake?"

"Half and half!" He protested. "I shouldn't have to choose!"

Chat Noir smiled broadly, his shoulders shaking with mirth.

"Oh, before I forget. Did Chloe tell you about the Mayor's ball a few weeks out?"

Ladybug groaned. "Yeah. The supposed 'Hero's Ball' in honor of Chat and I? No thanks."

"It can't be too bad. A chance to get all gussied up, eat good food, and mingle with rich people."

"Old Marinette would be excited, but..."

"You've got to stop referring to yourself like that, girl. You've changed, but you're not a totally different person."

She laughed. "I'm not?"

"A lot different, but there's plenty of things I recognize. Right now, you seem to be doing really well. Besides the hair cut, you can hardly tell."

"That's good then." Said Ladybug. "As long as someone recognizes me."

"Are you designing a dress for the ball?"

"Gabriel and I are collaborating." She stated it so plainly, like she didn't even care. "He found a design he liked in my sketchbook, and he's altering it. Same for Adrien. He's designing a dress for my mom from scratch."

"Oh that's cool!"

"Poor man, he's trying so hard to be a good father, but he's so awful at it."

Chat Noir snorted.

"He doesn't get points for trying?"

"No. Not when he's being awful when it matters. I've been yelled at for talking for Adrien, since he still isn't ready to speak. Gabriel is impatient and bossy. He's plenty generous, but he lacks understanding."

"And it's easy to be generous when you're rich." Added Nino.

Chat nodded in agreement.

"How are you today, bro?" Nino asked.

Chat shrugged, and pointed to his ice cream with his spoon.

"Gotcha."

As they say, all good things must come to an end. And the simple peaceful outing turned into chaos when one person shouted. "There they are! It's Ladybug and Chat Noir!"

From both ends of the bridge, people came running. Calling out for attention. Swarming.

"We didn't even get to finish our ice cream," Ladybug lamented.

Chat Noir, however, trembled at the noise and shifted closer to her, Alya, and Nino.

Alya stood, allowing Nino to wrap a protective arm around both of the heroes.

"Back!" Alya shouted at the crowd, raising her hands. "Back, you animals!"

The mob heeded her commands and stopped just a few feet away.

"Ladybug and Chat Noir are not ready for visitors! They aren't doing autographs, and they aren't doing hugs! They're just out for ice cream and sunshine! So be on your merry way please!"

"Ladybug!" A little girl cried out. She weaseled her way through the crowd and ran at them, ignoring Alya completely to crash into Ladybug's legs and nearly crawl into her lap.

"Hey!" Alya shouted. "What did I just say?"

"I'm so so sorry!" A woman called, catching up with the girl. "She's just so excited! She loves Ladybug!"

"It's alright." Ladybug assured, petting the girl's head. "How are you Eva?"

The girl beamed. "You remembered my name!"

"Of course I do. I'd remember any akuma that took six hours to beat."

The girl giggled. "Sorry not sorry!"

Ladybug lifted the girl so she could properly sit on her lap, while the rest of the crowd stood back and listened.

"How are things at home? Did they ever get better?"

Eva gave a little shrug. "Mommy and daddy ended up getting divorced. But now that they don't live in the same house, they get along a lot better. Sometimes we have dinner together. It still hurts, but at least they don't yell anymore!"

"I'm really glad to hear that. I'm sorry that they divorced. That's never an easy thing to go through, but I'm glad things worked out."

"What about you? Are you feeling better?"

Ladybug swallowed the lump in her throat. "I'm…I'm doing alright. Somedays are better than others. Today we felt good enough to go out and get some ice cream."

"Ice cream makes everything better!"

She smiled. "It sure does."

"What about you, Chat Noir? How are you?"

He nodded with a smile.

"He said he's good." Provided Ladybug.

"Oh yeah, his voice hurts. That happened to me last year. I coughed and coughed and then I sounded like a frog. Do you sound like a frog when you talk?"

He shook his head.

"No? Well that's good! Wouldn't sound much like a cat if you croaked!" She reached up and petted Chat Noir's head like a real cat.

He couldn't help but purr.

"Oops, you found his soft spot." Ladybug snickered.

Eva giggled and scratched him again. "What kind of ice cream did you get?"

"Mint chip, cherry chip, and cookies and creme."

"Cookies and creme is my favorite! Did you like it?"

"I did! Though, I don't think there's any bad ice cream."

"I do! My dad likes pistachio ice cream! Bleh!"

"Oh but pistachio is good!"

"No it's not! It tastes like butt!"

Ladybug laughed. "Why don't you ask your mom for some ice cream?"

"Oh hey yeah! That's a great idea!"

The woman with Eva came closer. "Can I get a picture with you together?"

"Sure."

"Mom! Get Chat in the picture too!"

Chat Noir leaned in, as she wrapped an arm around his shoulder.

A click, and Eva was scampering off of her lap. "It was nice seeing you Ladybug! I'm going to get ice cream now!"

Ladybug smiled at her. "I'm glad we could talk, Eva. That was nice. See you later."

"Later!"

Ladybug let out a blissful sigh. The crowd was still surrounding them, waiting to be prompted.

"I'm kinda tired." She announced. "What about you, kitty?"

Chat nodded and yawned.

"They're going to go home now folks! Go on, get!" Alya shooed them away. "Sorry your outing was interrupted."

"Mmm, actually, that wasn't as bad as I was expecting."

—

Adrien awoke from his nap feeling only a little groggy. He was down to one nap a day now, though it still usually lasted over an hour.

Marinette laid in his arms, her back pressed against his chest. It looked like she was awake as well, as she scrolled through her phone.

Adrien nuzzled closer, pressing a kiss behind her ear. "Whatcha reading?" He asked softly.

"Ladynoir FanFiction."

He chuckled softly. "I thought you hated our FanFiction."

"I did. But not so much anymore. Alya said a lot of authors on the blog are going back and editing their stories, so that our names and backgrounds are right. It's kind of fun to see what people assume about us. The innocent things, like what our favorite Pokémon is and what flavors of ice cream we like."

"Hmm." Adrien hummed in her ear, savoring that perfect level of comfort. "What is your favorite Pokémon, my lady?"

"According to fics, it's Ledyba."

He scoffed.

"But I think I like Spheal. He's a spherical seal. He's a good boy."

"He is a good boy." Adrien said sleepily. "Wanna guess mine?"

"Is it Arcanine?"

"...yeah, it's Arcanine."

She giggled, turning her phone off and turning to face him. "I'm afraid you're an open book to me."

"Only to you." He promised, kissing her swiftly.

There came a knock at the door.

"Adrien? Are you awake?" Gabriel's voice came from the hall.

"He's awake," Marinette answered for him.

They adjusted themselves to be a little more presentable as Gabriel entered. He actually looked nervous, and excited? It was hard to tell on a man so stoic. He rubbed his hands together. "So, Adrien, we have a guest joining us for dinner tonight, and I thought you might want to see her first." He beckoned the guest at the door.

Seeing Aunt Amilie, even after all this time, made his heart squeeze. She looked just like his mother, right down to the side ponytail.

Wait.

Was this some sort of joke? Amilie was in white, and her hair was tied on the other side, just the way his mother used to—

"Hi Hunny Bunny." Her voice was so soft, so gentle. Tears gathered in her eyes as her hands raised up for him. "Look at how much you've grown!"

All of a sudden, he wasn't in his bedroom. He was in that cold dark room, where they had been kept in crude cages. He was looking at the corpse with his mother's face on it.

Then it morphed into everything wrong. Mouths for eyes, snakes for teeth, dripping fingers, as she just continued to smile at him. "It's me, Adrien…I'm home."

Adrien shook his head frantically, trying to shake the vision. But it wouldn't leave. It was acid, wasn't it? LSD? That's what Dr. Boucher said was in his system. That hallucinations he had down in the catacombs would continue to haunt him. They were as unpredictable as they were vivid.

"Adrien honey?" Her voice was _too_ sweet. It was wrong. Why was she here?

Adrien scrambled off the bed, placing himself opposite of the mattress from her, and he watched her with careful eyes.

"Adrien," Gabriel tried. "It's alright, your mother is home now. She's back."

Between the horrible visions and twisting thoughts, he had half a mind to take offense. She was back? She was fine all this time? Where was she? Why did she leave him alone? He couldn't find any joy in the utter wrongness of it all. It made no sense, and it felt like some sick twisted joke.

His eyes wandered over to the windows on the other side of the room. His reflection was so small, so disgustingly thin and dirty, bloody, and pale. And her reflection…

It wasn't his mother.

Gabriel nervously bit his thumb, waiting for Adrien's reaction. So far, he just sat there, staring at her with impossibly wide eyes. Then he scrambled out of the sheets, his eyes never leaving her face. But there was no smile, no disbelief, no awe. Just shock and fear.

"Adrien, it's alright. Your mother is home now. She's back."

Adrien quaked in his spot, shaking like a leaf, ready to burst. His listless eyes turned and caught sight of something in the window.

Gabriel never did know what his son saw, but whatever it was, it was horribly upsetting.

Terrible enough to rip that scream from his throat. Frightening enough make him flail his fists around, at him, at Marinette, and his own mother.

"Hunny bunny?" she asked once more, pleading with him.

It didn't work. It only further exasperated Adrien, so that he shouted at her, like if he yelled loud enough she was disappear in a puff of smoke.

That's when Gabriel conceded that his plan had failed epically. He grabbed Emilie's wrist and pulled her from the room, as Adrien continued to scream after her.

Sabine caught her in a hug just outside the door. "It's alright, dear."

Emilie clung to her. "He doesn't know me!"

"Of course he does," Sabine soothed. "He's just confused right now."

Gabriel had made sure to close the door as they left, but it did nothing to suppress the noise from the room. The banging, the crashing, the clattering of books and trophies being flung off the shelves.

And Marinette's rational voice trying to reach him.

"_I hate her!_" He yelled, like an arrow to Emilie's heart. "_She's a liar! That's all she's ever been! I hate her! I hate her!_"

Gabriel pressed a kiss to his wife's head. "He doesn't, he loves you so much."

"_Where did so go?! Why did she leave me alone with—with him?!_" He voice broke off into ugly sobbing.

"Oh my baby boy," Emilie wept. "My poor baby…"

"Well, I really hate to be the one that told you so…" Plagg spoke, phasing through the door.

"Don't sound so smug." Gabriel bit.

"I'm not. I swear I'm not." His ears hung sadly. "But's like I said. He doesn't know where she's been. To him, she ran away without a word, and she's only coming back now? Because of what? The fact that he was tortured on screen?"

Emilie covered a mouth to hold back a sob.

"That's not what happened, and you know it!" Gabriel yelled back.

"Of course I know! But _he_ doesn't! And you're going to have to explain all of it to him."

"What do you mean, 'all of it'?"

Plagg looked at him levelly. "If you want Adrien to accept his mother, you've got to tell him about being Hawkmoth."

Gabriel looked at the door. "Do you think he's ready? Either of them are ready?"  
Plagg shrugged. "His world is rocked either way. I think you've got to decide which parent he needs more. Because the way I see it, he'll reject the other. Maybe both of you."

Emilie and Gabriel shared a very meaningful look.

Finally, Emilie hugged Sabine. "You'll go comfort him, right? He needs a mom right now."

"Of course dear." Sabine opened the bedroom door slightly and crept inside. Emilie watched from the crack as she approached Marinette and Adrien, who were huddled together in a corner. It didn't take any convincing for both of them to accept her embrace.

"I've missed so much." Emilie whispered, teary-eyed.

Tom squeezed her shoulder. "It's not your fault. You didn't do anything wrong."

Gabriel sighed. "And hopefully, you won't have to miss anything more. I'll tell them tomorrow. Even if…even if Adrien hates me, he deserves my honesty. And…I haven't been very good to him since this whole mess started. You'll be better for him, I know."

"Gabe…"

"It's alright. I suppose this is my punishment. But as long as Adrien gets everything he needs, then it's all worth it."


	44. Rejecting

Despite Adrien's absolute meltdown, Gabriel still insisted everyone eat together as a family. Sabine did her best to keep the food warm as Adrien collected himself. But 'collected' was the barest sense of the word, as he came downstairs, still puffy-eyed and sniffing. Luckily, Marinette was right there beside him, holding his hand tightly.

It was a pasta dish for dinner. Adrien really didn't pay attention to what kind, he just spent a long while twisting his noodles on his fork.

"So," began Emilie. "Your father tells me you started going to public school! I knew that was something you wanted to do, but I was just never sure if you were ready. I'm proud of you for getting out there! It can be really nerve wracking starting at school, but I heard you have some really great friends! I'm so happy for you!"

Adrien didn't look at her, and his expression only tightened.

"It's okay. Your father said you're not really talking right now. I don't blame you. I just wanted you to know that I want to know all about all the things you did while I was gone."

Adrien hunched over in his seat, curling over his plate and nursing his bad arm to his chest. Why must he be tortured this way?

Marinette on the other hand, watched this exchange with scrutiny. The softness of Emilie's tone was surprising, but refreshing. Whenever Gabriel had tried the comforting parent routine, his tone usually ended up sounding more condescending than tender. He had his moments of course, but not like Emilie. She spoke _to_ him, not _at_ him. She wasn't prying to get an answer either, just speaking to him very casually. And the way she looked at him was different too.

It was all love.

Talking with Adrien earlier, he had disclosed that he was confused and hurt by Emilie's sudden appearance. He didn't understand why she had shown up so suddenly after all this time. If she was fine, why hadn't she contacted him? If she loved him so much, why did she disappear without a trace?

Things just didn't make sense. She seemed like a very kind and warm woman, and for Adrien's sake, Marinette hoped that she truly was. But for the moment, she'd continue to hold her skepticism.

"Marinette," Emilie addressed her. "Gabriel says you're interested in fashion?"

Ah, so she was trying a different technique now? "Uh, yes. I am. That's what I was hoping to go into…well, I was before…"

"I mean, even if you can't make a full time career out of it, it's still a very good hobby to have! When Gabriel was your age, he made all of my clothes! I never had to go shopping and I was the envy of all the girls in my class."

"Emilie—" Gabriel tried to interrupt.

"He gets all embarrassed about it when I mention it now, because he has 'people for that sort of thing'." She mocked her husband's voice, prompting Sabine to let out a snort. "But I saw the wedding gown he made for you. Gorgeous! You designed it though, didn't you?"

"Yes, I had a sketch of it in my sketchbook. I…I think I mentioned it on camera, and he found the design."

Emilie gasped at her husband. "You went through a girl's sketchbook without her permission!?" She whacked him.

"Ow! Woman! Stop hitting me!"

"Once you learn some manners, I will! But until then, I think I'll have to beat them back into you!" Then she laughed. Adrien's laugh. That unrestrained, joyful sound that you couldn't help but smile at. Then she smiled, and it really all came together. If Adrien was sunshine, Emilie was a 200,000 mega watt lightbulb. Her joy filled the room, literally making it warmer and brighter.

Like even though her family was falling apart, she was just happy to be with them.

"The second you both feel better, you have to let me see your super suits! I've been catching up on the blog, but there's no real good shots of the details. I want to know everything! Does your yo-yo double as a purse? Do the tail and ears move on their own?"

"Don't overwhelm them, Em."

"I can't help it! My baby boy! A superhero! It's so exciting!"

"I, for one, think it's dangerous." Gabriel argued.

"Well, of course it's dangerous! That much is obvious!" She gasped. "Oh Marinette, he showed me this clip of Adrien, not transformed, being thrown off the side of a building by a King Kong knock off! Do you know how pissed off that made me?! And don't even get me started on when he became a glitter statue! Honestly, if it wasn't for you, I would have lost him several times over!"

Marinette gave a soft, patient smile that she hoped came off in gratitude, and not betraying her current thought, which was, 'you still might lose him.' "He's saved me several times too. He's got my back, for sure."

"Oh I'm so glad to hear that!" She clapped. "A healthy marriage is built on teamwork and trust. Just from the clips I've seen, it looks like you guys are oozing with it."

Adrien scooted his picked-at plate forward.

"Adrien, you barely touched your food." Said Sabine.

He stood, pushing in his chair, and walked out of the room.

Marinette glanced over to Emilie to gauge her reaction.

The woman was just on the verge of tears.

"Madam Agreste, can I have a word with you?" She asked, standing.

"Of course dear."

Emilie allowed Marinette to lead her into the parlor and shut the door. "Alright. Spill. What's your angle? Because if you've come to get Adrien to trust and fall in love with you all over again before bouncing without a trace, I will personally hunt you down and kill you. My body count is over 40, and I don't mind adding to it for his sake. Understand?"

Emilie looked at her wide-eyed, before exhaling calmly, "well, I'm happy to see you really do care about Adrien as much as you say you do. I don't plan on going anywhere, Marinette. I promise."

"And so I'm just supposed to take you at your word? He cried for an hour!"

From upstairs, the pair could hear the clattering of books and other heavy items being thrown around again.

"Look at what you're doing to him! You better explain yourself now, or not even Mr. Agreste will let you stay in this house."

"Marinette," Emilie said sternly. "I didn't want to leave. It wasn't my choice."

"Then whose was it?"

"No one chose what happened. Gabriel and I…we made a mistake. A huge one that I had to pay for. I didn't get the chance to say goodbye. I didn't even get to ask for it. I—" She glanced towards the door, not knowing who was listening on the other side. Then she shook her head. "I'm trying to be gracious, but this is Gabriel's fault. I still love my husband, but he has a lot to answer for, especially to you both. I asked him to do so before I came, but he chickened out, I suppose. I can't blame him…I know he wouldn't want Adrien giving him the cold shoulder the same way he's giving me."

Marinette blinked several times. "What are you even talking about? Stop being so vague!"

"I really wish I could, but I can't. I don't have all the answers, and Gabriel really should be saying all of this. I just…I think you're super cool and really great and I want you to like me. Selfish, I know. But I just wanted you to know that I'm not the bad guy here."

"That sounds like something the bad guy would say."

Emilie smiled slightly. "Fair, I guess." She rubbed her hands on her thighs. "Once Gabe comes clean, I swear this will all make sense." She paused. "Even in this time where little does for you."

Marinette inhaled sharply. "So you watched it then?"

"Not all of it. Not yet." She cast her gaze to the floor. "None of it live. Only after you were found was I even told what was happening."

Marinette frowned. "Did Gabriel know where you were?"

Emilie paused, considering her answer. There was really no way to soften this blow. Once it all came out, he wasn't going to be forgiven anyways. "Yes. He did."

Marinette swallowed harshly, tears pricking at her eyes. "And he never told Adrien?"

"No."

"Didn't you ask him to?"

"Marinette…I was in a coma. I couldn't do anything."

Well. That made sense. And it didn't. Why did Gabriel have to hide that she was in a coma? Why would he hide it from his own son?

"Tell Gabriel I expect him to explain himself immediately." She snapped, before turning face, and briskly leaving the room.

—

Upon returning to Adrien's room, Marinette met the welcoming sight of her own mother comforting Adrien.

"It's alright honey, we'll pick it all up."

The room was an absolute disaster zone. Anything that wasn't bolted to the floor or wall was turned up turned, inside out, or smashed. Including the TV and computer.

Plagg floated over to be at eye level with Marinette. "Destructive tendencies. You wear the ring long enough, certain things come through. No one bats an eye when you make something, but when he breaks something...he's been bottling this up for a while."

Adrien sat on the floor, in the middle of all this chaos, and covered his face with his hands.

"It's just stuff." Marinette comforted. "Stuff can be replaced."

After the high of absolute destruction, came the crash of guilt. And Adrien wallowed in it like a shallow pool.

"You know what you need? An entire living space renewal! New paint, new sheets, new decor! Not what some interior designer thinks is you, but what you want! You, Adrien, the person who lives here!" Sabine gestured broadly to the room. "And if it has to be a little messy, then that's you! What do you think? Wanna start a project soon?"

Adrien didn't answer, just crawled over to the bed and under the sheets from the end of the bed, slinking his way up to the top, and settling there.

"We'll assume that's a yes." Marinette said.

"Alright. I'll see if I can convince the manager of the building." Sabine winked. "If either of you get hungry, there's more pasta in the fridge downstairs."

"Thanks Maman."

"Of course, baby." She kissed Marinette's cheek, and then found Adrien burrowed under all his haphazard sheets and gave him a kiss too. "'Night."

"'Night."

Once she was gone, Adrien let out a long sigh. "I don't know if I can remodel my room. It's so big."

"You won't have to do it on your own. And if you like it the way it is, you don't have to."

He sat up slightly to look around at the whirlwind of anger. "I think it's slightly better this way. But...I don't like this room. I never have. It's too sterile. Too cold. Too empty."

"I agree." She joined him on the bed. "Even here with you, I feel...vulnerable. Like I'm sleeping in a gymnasium instead of a room."

"Exactly. It's so open."

She reached out and took his hand, threading her fingers through his. "Maybe…we'll have to see, but maybe we can move to my house instead?"

Adrien turned to look at her, eyes searching her face for intention. He only saw comfort. "You sure? You wouldn't mind sharing your room with me?"

"We might have to reorganize it a little. Make it a little less pink and girly. But yes, I'd love to share my room with you."

He snuggled right up to her, almost spooning her. "I love you. And I think your room is super cute. We don't have to change anything."

"Too bad, we're going to change things up. Whatever you want, just say the word."

His exhale fluttered her bangs as he let go of her hand to hold her around the waist instead. "In that case, I want a jacuzzi. And a wall that looks like a big lava lamp."

"Well, we can probably get a lava lamp. And we have a bathtub in the bathroom."

He shrugged, "I suppose that will have to work."

They laid like that for the rest of the night, discussing the changes to make to Marinette's room. Most of them were absurd and silly, but some of them were doable.

"We should suspend a flat screen TV from the ceiling by the bed, so I can play games at night."

"We could put directly on the ceiling, so we can watch TV before bed."

"Let's install a fireman's pole from the balcony into the room, so we don't put our shoes on your mattress."

"We should at least get another desk in there, so you have a place to work."

"Bunk desk, right on top of yours."

"That sounds dangerous and uncomfortable."

In the back of her mind, Marinette knew that this moment was going to be interrupted by Gabriel. She desperately wanted him to come clean about whatever the hell was going on. So it was her job to keep Adrien feeling optimistic until he came.

But he never did.

When Adrien's sentences were peppered with more than one yawn, they took turns showering, and then prepared for bed.

While she was disappointed he still hadn't come forward, she couldn't help but be a little relieved that neither of them were going to sleep crying tonight.

Once Adrien was all fresh and clean, he snuggled her right up against his chest, nuzzling her neck. "Good night, My Lady."

"Good night, Kitty."

—

She stood on that rooftop, watching the scene below her as she had hundreds of times. The long shadow accompanied the voice of her greatest failure, cast by the too bright headlights on the car.

Ladybug clenched and unclenched her fist, watching as the young man begged for his life.

_Run._ She told herself. _This one is not worth it. Please just run._

But this had already happened, and there was no erasing the past. So she stood and waited, waited for her opportunity to face the man that would be her downfall. Edward Savauge, normal man. No Miraculous, no akuma, just a sick twisted heart and too many strings to pull.

A noise brought her out of the flashback, a snapping noise of a foot on plastic.

She blinked once, twice, and stared at the mess of Adrien's room in the bare lamp light from outside. She twisted in her sheets, making Adrien whine as he was dislodged from her side.

Only after she turned around did she realize they were not alone.

She sat up quickly, cradling Adrien's head to her stomach. "Who's there?"

The shadowy figure in the corner of the room by the window didn't come any closer. "I apologize, I didn't mean to frighten you."

"Tikki, spots on!"

The flash of Pink light not only woke up Adrien fully, but it illuminated the figure for a moment. Ladybug's face grew pale under her mask. "Hawkmoth?"

Adrien muttered his transformation phrase as well, and crouched, ready to attack.

"That's really not necessary," Hawkmoth spoke, taking only one step forward, kicking some DVD cases out of the way. "I have no intention in fighting."

"Is that why you snuck in while we were sleeping?"

"I simply wanted privacy, and I had hoped if you were tired, you'd be more willing to talk before fighting." He walked over to Adrien's desk and flipped on a lamp, illuminating him in all his unholy glory.

"So what do you want?" Ladybug spoke, coming to sit at the end of the bed. "We're grateful for all you did to save us, but we're still not going to give up the Miraculous. We're sworn to protect them."

"Of course." Using his enhanced strength, Hawkmoth righted the upturned couch, facing it towards them, and took a seat. "You've proved that you are more than perfect for holding your Miraculous. I would be crazy for trying to take them away. Besides, I have no need for them anymore."

"Are you turning yourself in, then? You helped us escape, but that doesn't get you off the hook for all the things you did."

"No, I suppose it doesn't. And if you still want to send me to prison after this, you'd be justified."

"Alright, go on then. Make your plea."

Hawkmoth crossed a leg over the other, looking to all the world a business man in a meeting, and not a terrorist at the end of the line. "I made a mistake a long time ago. I let my wife use a broken Miraculous, even though we were warned of the consequences. She got sick, and then fell asleep, with no hope of waking. The Black Cat and Ladybug Miraculous come together and allow for an ultimate wish. I intended to use this wish to wake her up."

"Even at the cost of others?"

"You wouldn't do the same for Adrien? If he was right there, and you knew he could be saved?"

Ladybug looked to Chat Noir, remembering all the times he had fallen in battle. And then that moment in the catacombs when she had to leave him behind. She had considered putting the Miraculous both on to save him.

"So…what changed your mind?" She asked instead of answering.

"The guardian. He came and spoke to us, not knowing who I was. I explained my problem, and he had a solution that didn't require the Miraculous."

Ladybug relaxed. "And your wife, she's okay now?"

"You had dinner just this evening."

"W-what?"

"Dark wings fall."

The purple light dispersed, and Gabriel Agreste sat there instead.

Emilie was right, things did make sense.

But why did it have to be all so unfair?

Chat Noir, for his part, just stared at Gabriel, like he was trying to solve an impossible problem.

"I imagine you have questions, son."

But Chat didn't make to transform, just sat there with his head in his hands.

"Emilie said you knew where she was, this entire time."

"Yes," Gabriel admitted regretfully. "She was in the basement, in a life support chamber."

Chat just shook his head in disbelief.

"And you never thought about telling Adrien?"

"I thought about it every day…but I was…cautious. Because of who I was, and what I was doing. I knew he wouldn't like it. I was hoping to wrap it up sooner…but you're both just too smart."

Chat snorted. And then proceeded to laugh. Not a funny laugh, but a laugh of disbelief, like something so horribly ironic just happened and all you can do is laugh. Because if you don't, you'll cry, and he'd cried enough today.

"Adrien," Gabriel said softly. "Your mother had nothing to do with this. She didn't leave, she became sick, you understand? Please don't push her out. She loves you so so much. Please."

Chat stood, still laughing and shaking his head. He walked across the room to the windows.

"What are you doing?" Gabriel asked, panic edging at his voice. "I hope you're not trying to leave. You're not well enough."

The glare that Adrien shot across the room gave Marinette goosebumps. His cat-eyed pupils narrowed into slits, and the toxic green glowed in the dark.

Without another word, Chat escaped through the window Gabriel had left open, and disappeared into the night.

Gabriel groaned after he left. "I suppose that could have been worse."

Ladybug stood, and went to the closet. "Suppose it could have. But now I have to clean up your mess." She found Adrien's fencing duffle, and dumped out all of his equipment, before stuffing it with his comfiest clothes.

"What are you doing? Why are you packing?"

"I don't want to stay here anymore, and considering how quickly he fled, I doubt he's coming back tonight."

"Would you convince him to talk to his mother at least? He needs at least one parent."

She shrugged. "I don't tell Adrien to do anything. He's been bossed around enough."

Gabriel shook his head. "Fine. You impossible children. Are you going to your house? Can I tell your parents?"

"That's my plan. If you want to tell them, that's fine. I was going to write a note anyways."

"Oh," Gabriel tugged at his jacket, taking a wallet out of his pocket. "Here, this is Adrien's wallet. The police returned it to me. There's a new card in there too. He can be as angry as he wants with me, but I'll be damned if he isn't properly cared for."

Ladybug took the wallet with a softer expression. "Glad you're starting to see things our way." Before he dropped his hand back, she took it, and gave it a firm shake. "Thank you, Hawkmoth. For saving us. Regardless of the reason, thanking you is something I had been meaning to do since I got my memory back."

Gabriel could only nod as emotion started to choke him. He pulled away and fled the room himself.

"Well?" Asked Emilie, who had been waiting outside the door. "How did it go?"

"They left."

"Left? What do you mean? Where are they going?"

"To Marinette's bakery."

"Is that smart? Are they strong enough for that?"

"I surmise that revealing myself has ruined any sort of authority over them I had. Adrien's not going to listen to me. I tried to get across to them that you're not a fault but…" A tear rolled down his cheek. "Why did I even start this charade? All I ever did was hurt people. My son, my daughter in law, Nathalie, I couldn't even save you." He shook his head. "I should just turn myself in."

Emilie rested a hand on his shoulder. "That's not going to help Adrien. Now, you're going to continue with therapy, and you're going to follow my lead. It might take a while for Adrien to start talking to you again, but it doesn't hurt to try."

"I've been trying."

"Well, then try harder!"

"Emilie…"

"Starting tomorrow. Now come along, it's late."

"Yes dear."

—

Ladybug landed on her balcony, duffle over her shoulder.

Chat was curled up on her deck chair, staring at the sky.

"You doing okay, kitty?"

"It's not all that surprising, all things considered. I gave him so many excuses for his shitty behavior, and little did I know, he's actually the worst person in Paris."

Marinette shrugged. "I can think of at least two people that take that title now."

"Oh. Yeah, I guess you got me there."

Ladybug sat down next to him, draping her legs over his. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly to his chest. "You know what really sucks?"

"What?"

"I love him. I still…I still love him. Hawkmoth. God. That sucks."

"Well, he is your father, and at some point, he was different. And he was doing this to save your mom, not for riches or power…I don't know, I think that softens the blow a little."

"Yeah. That makes it hurt a little less. He's a good person. But just—Deep deep down. And he's trying. I know he is."

"You know you should forgive him, right?"

Chat growled. "Yeah…"

"But I think a lot of people mess up forgiveness with acceptance. Forgiveness is letting the anger and the bitterness in your heart go. So accept that he hurt you, work through it, and let that anger and hate go. But that doesn't mean you have to invite him back into your life to hurt you again. You can protect yourself. You can cut him off."

"I don't know if I want to cut him off…at least not forever. I just need time to think."

She smiled at him. "That's why I brought your duffle. He's not expecting us to come back for a while."

Chat sat up, eyes wide and full of delight. "Really?"

"Yes, kitty. I'm sure he'll want us to interact with him, but we can stay here."

His lips found hers, pressing affection and gratitude into her. "You're the best."

"I try."


	45. Adjusting

The few days they had spent at the Dupain-Cheng bakery so far were like a vacation. Not that their routines were much different…a lot of naps, video games, TV, reading…sometimes, Adrien would sit at the keyboard with headphones and tap out a tune. Whenever Marinette asked what he was playing, he'd just give her a little shrug and admit, "it's not ready yet."

The dinners with just Tom and Sabine were a lot more relaxed and warm, and they were usually followed with board games or a movie. At night, Adrien and Marinette would sit out on her balcony under a blanket, just enjoying the view of Paris.

Just in general, the bakery felt more like a home than whatever the mansion was. Marinette's loft bed was cozy, and provided privacy and comfort. Like a cradle or a cocoon. Many nights, Marinette and Adrien would sit up late, talking about anything and everything, or sometimes nothing at all. Allowing the soothing presence of the other to fill the silence. Yes, the move proved to be for the best. Marinette's room provided an environment that aided healing, and allowed the two to indulge in old hobbies. Marinette had yet to touch her sewing machine, but she had sketched a little in a sketchbook. It was the start that counted.

"You remember when you asked me to get that constipation medication for you from England?" Adrien asked one night, late.

Marinette had almost been asleep, but she groaned. "Ugh, yeah? Why did you have to remind me?"

"What was that about? I just assumed it was something we couldn't get in France…but I wanted to do the friendly thing. But honestly, it's been on my mind for a while now."

She pushed up, propping up on one arm so she could look down at him. "First of all, that medicine wasn't for me. It was for Master Fu."

"Wait what? Why?"

"So here's the story: He got really sick and asked me to deliver a love letter to his sweetheart. He wanted to connect with her in case it was _the end_. The doctor gave me the prescription. And because Master Fu was taking the leap to confess, I thought I would too, so I wrote you a letter. So I delivered a piece of paper to Master Fu's girl, the pharmacist, and to you."

"Oh no…"

"I gave Fu's letter to the pharmacist, the prescription to you, and my letter to Fu's girlfriend, which was so bad that it got her akumatized!"

"Oh my lady…I'm sure it was lovely, just out of context."

"That was probably my worst attempt." She groaned, rolling away from him.

"Worse attempt? There were others?"

"Good night, Adrien."

He snuggled up behind her, whispering into her ear. "Please tell me your failures, my precious lady."

She groaned again, kicking the blankets off of her legs so that she could sit up and face him. "Fine, you know what? Because of Alya, all of Paris already knows how hopelessly in love with you I was. And because of Lila, you know how much of a stalker I was."

"A cute stalker."

"Gee thanks." She rolled her eyes. "God, where do I even start? Oh…you know that blue scarf that you got for your birthday one year?"

"Yeah?"

"It was actually from me. I don't know how the mix up happened, but you thought it was from your father. It made you happy, so I let it be."

Adrien leaned closer to her, his mouth opening in awe. "My lady…"

"That beret that Ladybug hand delivered was also from me. That was my closest attempt, but I had to erase my name on it…"

"Whatever for? I would have cherished it more! It's collecting dust in my closet somewhere now."

Marinette looked away, trying to find the words to explain. The beret brought up so many sour memories, and even more trauma that she didn't need right now.

"My lady?"

"I shouldn't have mentioned that one. It's stupid."

"Don't shut me out," he begged. "Please. I can't stand it when you shut me out. I want to know everything about you, Marinette. You're my best friend…and my wife. For better or for worse, right?"

She nodded, swallowing the thickness in her throat. "The first time I dropped it off at your house, I was shortly after stopped by Bunnyx. She said she needed my help because something had gone wrong in the future. So she took me into her burrow and dropped me off in Paris…" She shut her eyes, exhaling harshly. She had never gotten to tell anyone about this, and it weighed on her heavily, even after all this time.

"In Paris…?" Adrien urged her on.

"It was flooded. The Eiffel tower was toppled, and I could see the moon in the distance, completely shattered. You were there, all alone, and…akumatized."

"Into Grimalkin?"

She shook her head. "Chat Blanc. All white suit, hair, even your skin was pale. And your eyes were piercing blue."

He frowned, imagining that image.

"You knew my name, and you said it was our love that destroyed the world. We fought, and I fell in the water, where I found myself and Hawkmoth frozen in stone. I touched my statue and it turned to dust. I don't know how long you'd been like that. But you were desperate to get my earrings. You said…you said a lot of terrible things. It was horrible to see you like that…so deranged, so lost and unhinged. A little like Grimalkin, to be honest."

"I assume you won."

"Yes, but you still knew my name afterwards. I realized that in that timeline, learning my identity led to you becoming an Akuma. And I figured, you, Adrien-you, must have seen me leaving your room when I left that beret for you. And somehow that led to my identity. So, I erased my name."

"Why didn't you tell me any of that earlier? That couldn't have been fun to keep bottled up."

"It wasn't. But...I prevented it. So it never happened. It was just a bad dream."

"But...it wasn't. Your Miraculous Ladybug undoes all the damage akumas do. It's like those never happened, but the memories remain. Why is it different if you're the only one that remembers?"

Marinette shrugged. "I guess I just didn't want to worry you. I'm sorry."

Adrien leaned forward to bump his head with hers, affectionately. "As long as we're being honest about erased timelines...there's something I should have talked to you about too."

"What's that?"

"Aspik."

"Oh…that's right! You used the Snake and Second Chance for a while."

"25,913 times." He answered, his voice portraying the pain the number brought.

"How do you remember?"

"Every time I restarted, the number flashed in front of my eyes. It went up and up…every five minutes. Every time I lost you. Every time you turned to dust. Every time I failed."

"You tried so hard…"

"You insisted that you needed the snake, and that you didn't need Chat Noir. Several times."

"But it was only when you passed the snake onto Luka that we won. I did need you. I always need you, and I'm sorry if I made you feel like I didn't."

"Plagg warned me. Over and over, he said I was making a mistake. And I kept shutting him down. I was being selfish. Every time I restarted, I got five more minutes with you, as Adrien, not as Chat Noir. I wanted to do so good you'd fall in love with me. But I just ended up hurting myself, because I kept letting you down. It was so painful…"

"I'm sorry for putting that burden on you. That wasn't fair."

"You couldn't have known." He sighed, feeling lighter than he had in a long time. There was still plenty of trauma to work through, but getting this out of the way paved the road for clearing his head. "I'm sorry for traumatizing you in another timeline too. I know I'm not at fault for that, but I hate that any version of me hurt you."

Marinette held his face gently, letting her thumb roll over his cheek bones. Her mother's cooking had done well to fill in his face, but there was still a sunken look to him. His cheeks and his eyes especially.

"You're wonderful to me, Adrien. Always have been, in and out of the suit. And even with all the pain, trauma, and sadness…I'd still rather be with you than anyone else."

"I feel the same. I feel connected to you. It might sound corny, but I feel it right down into my soul. When I was in solitary, there were moments where I would just hold my breath and see if I could feel you. If maybe I could somehow sense if you were still alive or not." He looked away from her. "That sounds insane. I'm sorry."

"No. No it doesn't." She urged. "I did the same thing. Sometimes during akuma fights, I can tell when something bad happened to you. I'm sure it's because of the bond of our Miraculous, but I had hoped it had extended beyond that."

Tikki's sleepy voice spoke from the bedside table. "You really felt that way?"

"Oh, sorry Tikki, did we wake you?"

"A little. But it's okay. Are you really able to tell when Chat's harmed?"

"I…think so? Yeah…even when I don't see him, I can feel a little pain."

"That does happen, but not usually so early into a partnership. but…you both have gone through a lot together. It would make sense."

"So...we are bonded?" Asked Adrien.

"Loosely. It'll grow stronger the longer you're together. A pair of holders in their 80's were able to read each other's minds!"

"Oh wow! That's...that's a little daunting."

"I'm not crazy then," Adrien stated, with a hand over his heart. "Pretending like we were connected was just about the only thing that kept me going through solitary. I thought that maybe…maybe as long as my heart was beating, yours was too."

Marinette fell forward into him, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face into his chest.

That strong heartbeat beat for her in her ear. "I thought as long as I thought about how much I loved you, you'd feel it."

"I did, My Lady. Every time you whispered it to yourself, I got a warm feeling inside. Even in my darkest moments, I knew you loved me. Thank you. Thank you for loving me."

"It wasn't hard."

—

Interacting with Gabriel came sooner than they hoped.

Today was a 'progress day', as Dr. Zollar had noted. A day that would push boundaries, and challenge them emotionally and maybe physically.

They were going back to school. Just for the day, to find out graduation requirements, but even going on the property was going to hurt.

The last time they were here…well, Marinette was still a 'perverted stalker'.

They were going in with their parents, while class was in session, so it wasn't likely that they'd be cornered by anyone.

"You ready, kiddos?" Asked Sabine.

Marinette nodded and slipped her hand into Adrien's. For the first time since capture, they were both wearing jeans. The wounds on the back of their legs had healed enough to allow it, though it still wasn't very comfortable. Adrien wore a loose T-Shirt, since his skin graft on his shoulder blades was still healing.

Tom rested a hand on Adrien's shoulder. "It's okay son. We'll be right there with you."

So, they slowly made their way over to the school.

The Agreste's silver sedan waited at the curb, and the Gorilla greeted them as they approached, opening the door for Emilie and Gabriel to exit.

"So this is your school?" Said Emilie, ever cheerful.

Adrien nodded. He had yet to resolve the tantrum he had over her, now that Gabriel had come clean. But the sting of betrayal still lingered, even if Emilie couldn't have helped it.

Everything was just tense and no one was willing to talk it out.

For now, they had time, and Emilie was willing to give him space.

"It's a really nice facility," Sabine saved. "Adrien was on the fencing team!"

"Oh they have fencing? That's wonderful! Not many public schools do!"

As the mothers led the group, talking, Marinette squeezed Adrien's hand. "You doing alright, kitty?"

He tilted his head, and gave her a look, silently asking the same question.

"I'm nervous. I know I should probably…you know, at least see the class."

"Don't do anything you don't want to." Tom encouraged, patting her back patiently.

They had only been gone for about four months now, only a little longer than summer vacation, but the school just felt so small. It's like that, when your world isn't revolving around just one building anymore. In all of the nightmares Marinette had in solitude, the school was just so much bigger, and her classmates were even more vile, nasty, and cruel. Such is the poison of isolation.

Thankfully, class was in session, and no one was loitering in the halls as they made their way upstairs to Mr. Damocles office.

"Good afternoon and welcome back!" He greeted, too loudly.

"Thank you for meeting with us, Mr. Damocles," Sabine shook his hand.

"Oh it's a pleasure. I would like to do my part to make sure Adrien and Marinette are all set for whatever they have planned next in life. What are we thinking? College? Working with Mr. Agreste?"

Marinette hunched her shoulders while Adrien scuffed his shoe on the floor.

"Let's just think about getting their GEDs for right now." Said Gabriel. "This is my wife, Emilie. She's recently returned from an extended sabbatical."

Marinette held back a snort. That's what they were going with?

Mr. Damocles looked skeptical, but managed to smile and shake her hand anyways. "Welcome back, madam."

Adrien and Marinette found chairs in the back of the room, allowing the parents to lead the conversation.

"So, here we have Marinette and Adrien's transcripts. Starting in College, they are basically identical, since they took the same classes together. Adrien's fulfilled his foreign language credit, and Marinette's completed her arts credit. It appears that this semester, Adrien was planning to take Visual Arts, Physics, Trigonometry, Written Rhetoric, and World History, then he had two free periods for studying, or taking college level courses. Marinette was planned to take Chinese, Anatomy, Economics, Written Rhetoric, World History, and Visual Arts."

"Well," began Sabine, "Adrien and I can certainly help Marinette complete her Chinese credit. You know, I've been trying to teach her forever, she's just so stubborn."

"I'm just not good at it." Marinette defended. "I haven't had the proper motivation."

"I will sign off on Written Rhetoric for both of them. I think they've given plenty of speeches as superheroes to count. And I think Anatomy and Physics can be counted as well. So we will just need to get them homeschool work for World History, Trigonometry, and Economics. And Adrien will need a Visual Arts credit."

"His modeling wouldn't count?" Gabriel asked.

Mr. Damocles hummed and hawed over it, then finally asked. "Was he getting paid for it?"

"Yes."

"Then I don't think I can count it for a credit. However, if he was allowed to work behind the camera for a little while, learning how to use the camera and the lights and such, I could count that."

Gabriel turned to look at Adrien. "That's doable, right?"

Adrien nodded.

"Alright. Then I'll get the paperwork ready. I will look through my contacts for tutors in those subjects."

"I wouldn't mind teaching Marinette Economics." Gabriel volunteered. "It's something I'm rather proficient in, as a businessman."

"Can you handle that?" Sabine asked her daughter.

Marinette wanted to say no, but she didn't really want to spit in Gabriel's face. Especially since he was just volunteering for her, and not Adrien. "I think that would be fine."

"You said you were still interested in fashion design right? Then I can tailor what I teach you based on the industry."

That was a pretty sweet deal. And old Marinette would have leapt on the chance. But the new Marinette was frightened by change, by stress, by the threat of disappointment.

And with how high Gabriel's expectations continued to be, failure almost seemed certain.

There must have been a big stamp on her forehead that said 'I'm not sure' because Emile came to her rescue. "Let's just try it out for a little while. If you need something…less intense, we can switch to a tutor."

"Excellent." Mr. Damocles stated, not really paying that much attention to the conversation anyway. "Adrien, Marinette…the rest of this meeting is going to be boring for you. Why don't you both go pop in and say hello to your classmates, hm?"

Neither of them replied right away, as Adrien waited for her lead, and Marinette debated the pros and cons.

"Alya and Nino will be there." Sabine said calmly. "And your classmates were all very worried about you. It'll be okay."

Marinette wrapped an arm around her waist, squeezing the nausea away.

Adrien stood, holding his hand out to her. She took hold, and let him lead her out of the room.

After the door closed, he answered, "I thought I'd at least get you away from prying eyes. We don't have to go."

She gnawed at her lip, before finally deciding, "let's go. Just for a little bit, to prove that we could."

"We don't need to prove anything to anyone. They're the ones that failed us."

"You're right…but, I'm tired of being afraid of everything. I'm tired of being set off by every little thing. I shouldn't let a bunch of stupid high school kids bother me anymore. We have Alya, Nino, and Chloe on our side." She clenched her fist. "Do you want to say hi to everyone?"

"I don't care about them." He shrugged. "I know Alya and Nino said everyone changed their tune after we were revealed on TV, but they failed us when we needed them the most. They couldn't save us from Salo, but they could have made the days before a lot less painful."

Marinette clenched her eyes shut, feeling the sting of his words. It was as if he was a mind reader, since that was exactly how she was feeling. He didn't even need to ask. "They could have made my time in isolation hurt less. I might have been optimistic. If only they had cared when it mattered. If only they trusted me when I was just Marinette."

Adrien curled his fingers into her palm, brushing against the scar there that bore his name. "Do you think…we should say this to them? Would it help?"

"Dr. Zollar said we should let people apologize to us. That it'll help more than we think." She sighed. "But I'm afraid that they'll sweep it under the rug, and pretend like it didn't happen."

"Then, we'll sweep them under the rug. Cut our losses and forget them. We don't need anyone anyway, right my lady?"

"You and me against the world," she nodded. She took a shuddering breath. "Okay. I think…I think I can go. You'll be right beside me?"

"Of course."

He never let go of her hand as they made their way down the hall. The classroom appeared far too soon for Marinette's liking, and they stood just outside, waiting. Adrien would let her take the initiative, whenever she was ready.

She had to prepare for every bad scenario, no matter how unlikely. If she had a plan for each one, she couldn't be surprised. Right?

Finally, she nodded to Adrien and then knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Called Miss Bustier.

Marinette turned the knob, holding her breath, before pushing it open.

The class was silent, save for a few gasps.

"Well hello you two!" Miss Bustier greeted warmly, tears in her eyes. "I didn't know you'd be coming back!"

"We're not. We just…came to visit." Marinette barely whispered, looking only at the teacher.

"That's wonderful!"

"Are we interrupting anything? Do you want us to come back later?"

"No no, please come in, we'll take a little break!"

And then she dared to cast her gaze to her old classmates, her old friends.

Every eye was on her, coupled with trembling lips, tense postures, and vainly restrained tears. It looked like everyone wanted to say something, but no one wanted to be first.

She didn't know what to say either.

The front desk that her and Adrien had shared for one day was empty.

"What brings you both here?" Miss Bustier asked, rescuing them.

"We're…we're uh…looking at graduation requirements. We won't be…coming back to class."

"That's understandable. Well, I'm sure any of your classmates would be willing to study with you anyways if you need help."

"Alya and Nino have been coming around a lot…keeping us in the loop."

"Oh that's good! Well, don't let me take all of your attention, I'm sure someone has a question for you-"

"Yeah, I have a question!" A voice called from the back of the classroom. She stood, crossing her arms. "How the hell are you allowed to be here?" Lila asked.

Marinette flinched at the sound of her voice.

"Lila, I think you better sit down and be quiet." Miss Bustier warned. "You're on probation, you should watch yourself."

"I am! In fact, I have a restraining order on both of them. They are breaking the law by being here."

"If them being here is a problem, then why don't _you_ just leave?" Asked Chloe, also standing.

"Because I _belong_ here! I'm a student in this class and _I _have a right to be here! They, on the other hand, are _monsters!_"

Marinette clenched her fists as Adrien turned to hide his face in her shoulder.

"Lila, shut up!" Alya shouted, slamming her fist on the desk behind her. "Admit that you dug yourself into a hole and you're too proud to apologize! I'm not buying this stupid restraining order fib, just like we haven't bought a single story out of your mouth in the last three months!"

"I'm not lying about the restraining order!" Lila shouted right back, with real venom in her tone. Her sweet veneer was completely gone, and all that remained was the nasty, snarling beast that had been hiding the whole time. "They came to my house! They cut out my tongue! Ask my mother! Ask the hospital!"

"Oh yeah?" Asked Alix, "If they cut out your tongue, you seem to be talking really well without it."

"Like they would bother with you…" Someone else muttered.

"It was when they were akumatized!"

"Just save your breath." Chloe huffed. "You can't tell the truth even if you wanted to."

"She's telling the truth this time." Said Marinette, tone blank and devoid of emotion.

The class turned to look at her, seeing the look on her face. It spoke volumes of pure wrath, and Adrien's matched.

"We cut out that bitch's tongue." She said, her voice calm, deep, and vacant of regret. "The last thing we did, we went to her house. I had a pair of clamps, and Grimalkin had his claws. We ripped it out. She cried the whole time. She cried and screamed…it was the happiest I felt in a long time. I'd do it again if I could. I'd rip out her tongue, I'd crush her throat…"

_The body laid on the ground. _

"I'd cut her in half…"

_Organs spilling on the floor._

"Make her scream…"

_Red hair sprawled across the bloody cement._

"Make her writhe…"

_The screams of men and women echoing through the halls, their dying breaths capping them off into silence._

"Make her suffer…just as I suffered."

"_Go ahead, kill me. Let your God punish me._"

"He'll get his turn…he'll get his turn…burn in hell. Burn in hell!"

_Salo's body laid right in front of her, turning into dust from Grimalkin's cataclysm. _Marinette kicked in vain, trying to get it to disappear.

"Go away! Leave us alone!" She sobbed. "Die! Die! Die!"

By the time Marinette realized she wasn't in the catacombs anymore, she was sitting on a bench in the school courtyard, head back with a wet washcloth on her face.

"That's right, just breathe. You're alright, Marinette." Alya held her hand, rubbing comforting circles on the back of it.

A pair of strong hands gently massaged her shoulders, and opening her eyes, she found that they belonged to Kim.

"Hey girly. You back with us now?" He asked softly.

Marinette clenched her eyes shut. "Shit."

"If I had known you were going to visit, I would have asked Miss Bustier to get rid of her for a while. I'm sorry, girl."

Marinette sat up, glancing around. Alya, Kim, Alix, and Mylene were around her, just silently watching to make sure she was alright.

"Where is he? Where's Adrien?" Was her next concern.

Alya simply pointed at the upstairs railing, where he was walking with Nino and Chloe. "He started crying when you started talking about...some violent stuff. We thought it best that we separate you until you calmed down."

"I'm sorry...I don't know what got into me..."

"Girl, you do not need to apologize. If Lila has a restraining order on you, she should have kept her mouth shut and left the room. She doesn't deserve any rights."

"Did I hear Miss Bustier say she was on Parole?"

"For 'disrupting police activity'. She couldn't get jail time just for Libel, but the judge slapped her with that, since what she did wasn't just mean, it was dangerous."

"So if she got jail time, why is she here at school?"

"She only got a week in jail," responded Alix with an eye roll. "But her punishment isn't over. She has to stay with our class until she graduates, and then she'll be reevaluated based on performance."

Alya continued, "The judge wanted her in an environment where everyone knew what she did, and no one would want to be her friend. He wants her to focus on school, and not have an audience. This is according to Miss Bustier, of course, who instructed us not to talk to her."

"Wow. Go Miss Bustier."

"Yeah." Said Kim, "Except Lila makes sure we all know how awful we are and how this is as much our fault as hers. 'This never would have happened if you weren't all so gullible! Marinette and Adrien wouldn't be tortured if you weren't so stupid!'"

"Oh my god, she said that?" Marinette sneered. "Our capture had nothing to do with her. Chat and I still would have fought against Edward Savauge and still made…_her_ go out for revenge. Lila knows this. She was in that room. She saw my mouth—" Marinette pressed her nails into her lip, feeling the sting of the needle.

Mylene grabbed her arm and pulled it away from her. "We're not listening to Lila. She's loud and demanding, but we know the facts. She's just angry she's not getting attention. Don't think about her anymore."

By this time, Adrien, Nino, and Chloe had reached the bottom of the stairs. He ran to her, scooping her up into a hug with a shudder.

"I'm sorry, Kitty. I'm sorry…"

"It's all okay now," Nino assured, patting Adrien on the back. "We calmed him down. I think he's more concerned about you."

"I'm…I think I'm okay. Just seeing her face and hearing her accusing me…I just snapped."

"It was pretty badass," Alix commented. "Yeah, it sucked, but it probably instilled the fear of Jesus in her for a little while. I think she needed that."

"Oh my god, you didn't hear the best part!" Said Chloe, "She got jail time! And now she's on parole—"

"Yeah, we already told her all that." Said Alix with a smirk.

"Well, did you mention the lawsuits? Gabriel and the city of Paris both sued her and her family for Libel. Her mother refused to pay it for her, so now as soon as Lila's of age, she'll be paying the city police department and both of you thousands of dollars. Most likely for the rest of her life!"

"I don't want her money," Marinette scoffed. "Especially if I have to interact with her."

"You won't." Chloe assured her. "Gabriel will be taking care of it for you."

"And you don't have to accept her money," suggested Alix. "You could put it in a fund or a grant. Give it to other people who have been slandered against! Or people that what's-her-face hurt! The possibilities are endless!"

"I don't know if I have the will to run a charity right now guys…" Marinette shrunk on herself.

"Then let someone else do it."

"I volunteer!" Shouted Chloe. "After all, I'm the one with all the real contacts. You all can help, of course."

Tom and Sabine hurried down from the Principal's office. "There you are! Miss Bustier said you had an episode, Marinette. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine now, Maman. Just…had a run in with an old enemy."

"Well, Gabriel's wrapping everything up now. So let's get you kiddos home, okay?"

"Can we come visit you?" Asked Mylene. "We, as a class, wanted to so many times, but we weren't sure if you wanted to even see us. Alya, Nino, and Chloe said you'd might not be up to discuss it."

Marinette breathed slowly, considering the question. She turned to Adrien, asking him silently. He gave a little nod.

"I suppose, that would be okay. Is that okay with you, maman?"

"Of course, baby. I'm always happy when you're willing to have guests."

"Awesome!" Said Alya with a little clap. "We'll come over after school! We won't stay too long, just long enough to say hi and bye!"

Marinette stood, holding out her hand to Adrien. "Can't wait."

—

After they returned home and closed the trap door to her room, Adrien embraced her, squeezing her tightly. "You worried me," he whispered. "What happened?"

"I…don't know. I just vividly remembered the night we cut out her tongue…and then I got lost. Salo was there, the last time we saw her. What did I do?"

"Just a lot of screaming. Over and over, you just shouted 'die' and 'burn in hell'. It was…really scary."

"I'm sorry, Kitty. You were right, we shouldn't have gone."

"Well…I don't know about that. Chloe and Nino seemed to be really proud of us for stopping by. I like it when they say they're proud of our decisions. Makes the pain worth it."

"I suppose."

There was a knock at the trap door before Gabriel opened it. "I'm sorry to interrupt. I just wanted to let you both know you're all set to start homeschooling whenever you're ready. Mr. Damocles said even if you don't finish your credits in time, you can still walk with your class, if you'd like."

"That's nice," Marinette said quietly.

"Are you alright? Your teacher said there was an…incident."

She turned to look him right in the eye. "Why do we remember being akumatized? No one else ever has. Is it because we had Miraculous for so long?"

Gabriel shook his head. "I'm not completely sure, but I have a hunch. Since I made two akumas at the same time, I split the tether I had on you. That's why you overpowered my control. Nooroo warned me it would happen, but I thought it would be worth the risk. I didn't know you'd keep your memories of that, however. I never wanted to add to your trauma."

"Well. If it wasn't on purpose, I suppose we can't be mad at you."

Gabriel shrugged helplessly. "You can be as mad at me as you want. I'm expecting it."

Adrien left Marinette's arms and went over to lay down on the chaise.

"At any rate, thank you for the explanation."

"Of course. Any answers you want, you deserve." He swallowed. "Your outfits for the Mayor's ball are coming around lovely. If it's alright, let me know when I can bring them over for a fitting. It's still several weeks away."

"Thank you, Gabriel. Whenever my mother is free for her fitting should be fine."

"Alright. I'll leave you alone now." He took a step down, partially closing the door. Then at the last second he added, "bye son, I love you."

—

Only a few hours later, after Marinette and Adrien had changed into more comfortable clothes, there was another knock at the trap door.

"Come in," said Marinette, as she spread cushions out on the floor.

"Um…" Said Rose from below. "Could you…open the door and then stand back?"

Curious, Marinette did as instructed.

A bunch of balloons floated up into the room, followed by a huge bouquet of flowers, and then a giant stuffed black cat.

Both Marinette and Adrien stared in shock.

"Too much or not enough?" Asked Rose, poking her head in.

"What is all this?" She asked, beckoning her classmates into the room.

"Offerings of apologies and gratitude, of course," said Max. "Everyone in our class was akumatized at least once, and we all agreed we owed both of you a huge thank you for rescuing us. And of course, we all owe you an apology, Marinette."

"O-oh…thank you."

"We sort of thought you'd never want to see us again…but you took the initiative to come see us at school…the least we could do was follow up." Said Nathaniel. He handed her a handmade card. "I hope you can forgive us for ever doubting you."

Marinette took the card, admiring the artwork. The outside showed Ladybug and Chat Noir standing proudly over the city. Inside, a cartoon-ish Ladybug, bandaged up, was putting bandaids on an equally cartoony Chat Noir. The caption read, "you're still Purr-Fect to us!"

It was enough to bring tears to her eyes. "I…I will forgive you. I have a lot of bad feelings, but my therapist is helping me work through them."

"Do you do hugs?" Asked Kim.

"Gentle. Especially with Adrien, he still has some stitches on his shoulder blades."

Getting hugged by each and every person who had doubted her did wonders. With each kiss to the cheek and pat on the head, she could feel some of the bitterness fading. It wouldn't leave fully for a long time, but to see genuine remorse was like a soothing balm on an inflamed wound.

It felt nice to have friends again. Adrien had worked so hard to get them in the first place. Losing respect for everyone he had known had really solidified his decision to stop speaking.

But for them to come around and humble themselves and apologize really took the fight out of him. Maybe cutting them off wasn't necessary. Maybe there was more to these traitors. Maybe people were capable of change.

Maybe it wasn't just teenagers that changed either. Maybe adults too. Adults like his father and Salo.

"Oh Adrien," asked Nino, sitting on the chaise lounge. "Is that the keyboard the Couffaine's let you borrow?"

Adrien nodded.

"Are you practicing anything right now?"

"Adrien's been working on something. A song he had in his head in the catacombs. It's in the works."

"Cool! Bro, you gotta let me hear!"

Adrien shook his head.

"Sorry Nino, I can't get it out of him either. He says it's not ready yet."

"Aw bummer!" Nino groaned. "But let me hear it the moment it's done, okay?"

Adrien gave a twitch of a smile.

The girls had already settled on the cushions on the floor, and beckoned the boys to join them.

"Now," began Alya, as she took a binder out of her backpack, "we have some very important business to discuss."

Marinette frowned at her. "Hey wait a minute…that's my—"

"Your dream wedding planner? Yes, I held onto it when we hid all of your personal belongings when you were first captured." She cracked it open and set it on the floor.

Adrien peered around, trying to get a look.

Marinette covered his eyes. "Alya, put that away! That's private!"

"Is it not accurate anymore?"

"I mean…I still would like to use it…"

"Great! We're going to start planning now! And don't worry Sunshine, this book is tailored to you as the groom."

Adrien smiled, despite Marinette's hand over his eyes.

"Must you humiliate me this way?" Marinette asked, blushing.

The class shared giggles at that.

"Don't even sweat it Marinette," said Chloe, waving her hand around. "We're going to make sure you and Adrikins have the bestest, most glamorous wedding since William and Kate!"

Still blushing, "well, I don't want big and glamorous…I want small and intimate."

"Small and glamorous it is!"

* * *

_This chapter was fun because I had to recall the classes I took in my senior year of high school. I felt like I was leaving a subject out, but Adrien and Marinette have no reason to be taking Bible classes lol (I went to a pre-seminary Christian School)_

_A friend who wishes to stay anonymous wrote this for me. She said she was inspired, and in turn, she inspired me! This bonus scene is canon to the story:_

* * *

A creaking moan gently woke him. His eyes opened—once, then twice. He took a moment to realize that the cloud caressing his body, which still stung with every pulse, was not a cloud, but a down-alternative comforter.

He was in Marinette's—his bed, in their room, in their house. And there was sound coming from his left—warmth and sound. A whimper. A cry. And, again, a moan—quiet anguish. He rolled over to face the source.

"Marinette," he whispered. "What's wrong?"

The dark figure of his wife's frail form didn't stir. He asked again. "My lady? Are you awake?"

Still nothing.

He brought his face closer to hers. The light pollution filtering through the skylight served as the only source of illumination. As his eyes adjusted and focused on hers, his stomach churned. Her face was a scrunched display of pitiful agony, and her hands were at her throat. She whimpered once more—her lips pressed together in a hard line, unmoving as her sad cries escaped them. The light reflected from her cheeks in dribbles of tears.

He sat up, electrified. "My lady! My lady!" His voice cracked. He grabbed at the hold she had on her own neck.

Her eyes shot open as she gasped awake. She saw his silhouette and was instantly sitting up to meet his gaze.

"Adrien! Adrien! What's wrong? Talk to me! It's okay! I'm here! You're not alone! You're not locked in!" She was panting.

"Nothing is wrong. I'm okay. I am worried about you. You're crying in your sleep."

She wiped at her face with bony fingers. "Did I wake you? I am so sorry, mon chaton."

"Don't apologize. I was just worried. Are you alright?" He was whispering now.

"Yeah, I am okay. Just another nightmare. Happens all the time. Go back to sleep."

"Nightmares?" It hit him as the words left his lips. She was back there. All the time. The burns at her neck, the blood and the thread at her lips. The sounds and the smells and the cold and the—he choked as he took a deep breath; there was seemingly no air to take in.

"Adrien, breathe," Marinette pleaded. Everything is okay.

He tried again, more slowly, through his nose. It worked.

"Good kitty," she praised.

Her sweet praise, like a narcotic through his veins, made his muscles relax and his pain momentarily vanish.

He reached out and brought her closer to him. They embraced in silence. He squinted his eyes tightly so that his tears would not betray his resolve to finally become strong once more.

Like a divine epiphany, the sight of her suffering in slumber awoke something in him that he thought was long dead. It growled past the shadows of his worst repressed instincts. It brought a burning feeling back to his core—his soul.

How could he continue to let himself drown in self pity, when she was so strong a life preserver to him? Was he so preoccupied with his own suffering that he didn't think to ask if she, too, was drowning?

Why? Why did she swim so strongly when he was watching, only for her head to go under as soon as he turned away? The bravery she displayed for him was full of cracks he couldn't see.

And she was dragged back to Hell, every night, alone.

Never again. He would get strong. No—he would become even stronger than he was before—his armor, bulletproof and fireproof; his claws, devastatingly destructive; his senses, heightened to an atmospheric level. He would grow powerful enough to protect her and capable enough to rescue her from any evil. His magic would evolve into a force strong enough to infiltrate her dreams and deliver her from suffering. Silent was this promise as he held his life preserver tighter to his chest.

He let out a low, menacing growl. "I've come back, My Lady."


	46. Dancing

It rained the night of Mayor Bourgeois' ball. An ill omen if you were to ask Marinette or Adrien. Their first night being reintroduced into proper society, and it rained.

A limo had been sent to the bakery, so that the guests of honor could arrive in style. Alya and Nino had shown up early, also invited because of their hero status, not that any event planners besides Chloe knew.

Gabriel had really outdone himself. Though the designs were based on sketches from Marinette, he had taken them to a whole new level. "So you," he had said. "It's perfect, just for you!"

The champagne dress with exposed back and high slit leg hadn't felt 'like her' at all. Of course it was gorgeous, and it was a beautiful dress. The iridescent silk changed colors as she moved, drawing all eyes to her. Maybe in another life, when Ladybug hadn't been defeated, she'd feel more deserving of the dress.

As it stood, the low back just showed her scars, and made her feel exposed. 'Wear them like a badge of honor.' Gabriel had said, 'you survived, you're here. You're stronger than anyone else in that room.'

And yet, as she stood looking herself over in the mirror, she couldn't help but feel self-conscious.

Ugly.

The door to the bathroom opened and closed, her husband entering. Gabriel hadn't spared him from the 'wear your scars with pride' treatment either. The white shirt under his suit only buttoned up to his sternum, allowing the scar from his rib surgery to be seen. He was just lucky his skin graft scars were hidden under the deep gray suit.

"You look beautiful," Adrien said, looking at her with adoration.

"I don't think so." She brushed her hair once again. It was still too short to really do anything with, so she had opted to let Alya curl it. With all of her nervous tugging and pulling, the curls were turning into waves, and would soon be flat.

Adrien rested a hand on her bare shoulder, kissing her scarred neck. "I've always found you beautiful, Marinette. No amount of dirt or scars could change that."

"Well, what about everyone else? What will they think?"

"Do you really care what everyone else thinks? Much less a bunch of stuffy, obnoxious politicians?"

"No…I suppose not. I just…if I get criticized at all, I don't think I'll be able to handle it."

"No one will criticize you. I happen to think the dress is very flattering on you."

"The scars don't ruin it?"

"No. If anything, they compliment it."

"You're just saying that to make me feel better."

"Is it working?"

"I love you, Adrien Agreste. Thank you." She bounced on her toes and pressed a delicate kiss to his lips.

There was a knock on the door, followed by Sabine's voice. "Are you both ready? The party starts soon."

"Better bite the bullet."

They left the bathroom together, meeting up with the rest of the group downstairs in the bakery. Before leaving the apartment, Adrien grabbed an umbrella, and held it above his wife as she climbed into the limo.

The action felt familiar, as did his smile in doing so.

The ride to Le Grand Paris was pleasant. Alya and Nino gushed over the amenities in the car. "I've never ridden in a limo before! I feel so fancy!" Said Alya, as she sprawled out over one of the seats. There was plenty of room to do so.

"Would anyone care for some champagne?" Nino asked, in his fanciest poshest voice.

"You open that bottle, and I'll tell your mother." Sabine warned. "It's not polite to get drunk before arriving at a party."

"I'm glad you both got to come," Marinette said, smoothly changing the subject. "This would be really boring without you."

"Oh, _we're_ boring?" Tom asked, arms crossed.

"You know what I meant, Papa." Marinette smiled at him.

Arriving at Le Grand Paris, you would have thought they were arriving at a movie premier. The door to the limousine opened and there was a series of flashes from the paparazzi.

Tom and Sabine went out first, followed by Nino and Alya, and then finally, Adrien and Marinette stepped out under the umbrella.

"_Did you design the dress yourself?"_

"_Did Gabriel design your outfits?"_

"_Are you wearing someone else?_"

Clothing. They were all asking about the clothing. That was something she could handle. Adrien was right. The dress was flashy, and eye catching, and that's all anyone was going to talk about.

The alternative was not polite for such an occasion.

They were led through the lobby, into the elevator, and upstairs into the ballroom.

Before the elevator doors even opened, she could hear the crowd, a garbled mess of voices and laughter. Her heart rate increased.

Then the doors opened, and they stepped into the room.

All eyes seemed to land on her and Adrien, as guests clapped for their arrival. She wasn't able to do anything but stand there. Stand there frozen and staring, not even smiling. These guests were here to pay her respect and honor, but by god it was the worst experience of her life.

Over and over, her gaze flitted to face after face in the crowd, barely recognizing them for a second. These were strangers, people she never would have known, except for one tiny little detail.

Some of them, she had murdered.

She had seen their faces only once before, in her memories, last breaths, screams of agony.

And they were clapping for her.

Did they not remember? Or were they pretending? Were they hiding and plotting? Were she and Adrien in danger?

Then Chloe was there, in her bee-themed dress, loud and bright and inviting. "Adrikins! Maripoo! You're here!"

She never would have said this before, but thank God Chloé was here.

She weaseled between them, hooking an arm through both of theirs. "Come on, I'll show you to your table!"

It was right in front of the dance floor, which was vacant for now. A small symphonic band played beautiful music, filling the hall with the sort of ambience only seen in Disney movies.

Gabriel and Emilie were already at the table.

"Oh Marinette!" Emilie cooed. "You look absolutely gorgeous! Gabriel insisted on keeping this dress a surprise from me and I have been dying to see it!" She played with the long piece of flowing fabric over Marinette's shoulder. "I love the purple undertones! It perfectly matches your lipstick!"

"Thank you, Madam Agreste."

"And look at you!" She immediately went to her son. "My handsome man! Oh! You're so grown up!" She rested a hand on his cheek. "Before I fell asleep, you were a little shorter than me. Now...now I have to look up at you."

Adrien looked away from her, a pain in his chest.

"Sorry, I just...got swept up in emotion. That suit fits you like a dream."

Then she was onto the next target. "Oh Sabine!"

Now that they were in public, Adrien's voice disappeared again. But Marinette could read his expressions like an open book. "The suit makes you look older. Of course it would stand out."

He nodded in understanding, letting the resentment go. He had no reason to be angry with his mother. He just constantly had to remind himself until it stuck.

They both took a seat at the table. Obviously, people were schmoozing around and rubbing elbows. But the schmoozers could come over here if they were so inclined.

Next to Marinette sat her parents, and next to Adrien sat Nino and Alya, while Gabriel and Emilie sat on the other side. Chloe sat at the table next to them, just an arm's length away from Adrien.

So they were surrounded by mostly trustworthy people. The jury was still out on Gabriel, but he had at least shown that his harm was unintentional.

They had to be prepared for the worst if someone in the room decided to go for revenge.

Of course, now that their identities were out in the open and the party planners were somehow educated on kwamis (probably thanks to Chloé) there was a small doll sized table in the middle of their table, fitted with two chairs and settings.

"Oh, that's cute. Tikki, Plagg, you can join us."

The Kwamis peeked out of Adrien's jacket, where they had hunkered down for the night.

"Oh don't mind if I do!" Sang Plagg, as he took his seat. "I demand cheese cubes!"

Tikki was only a beat behind. "Behave yourself Plagg, this is a very fancy event."

"And we are the guests of honor," he said snottily. "While Adrien and Marinette are the brains and bodies, we are the brawn. So we get just as many accolades as them!"

"Selfish." Tikki drawled.

A waiter appeared at the table. "Dinner is still a ways out, but can I get drinks or hors d'oeuvres for anyone?"

"Your finest cheese cubes, my good man! And keep them coming until I fall out of this chair!"

"Yes, of course Mr. Black Cat."

Gabriel ordered a white wine for the table, while Marinette just asked for water for her and Adrien.

"It's alright," said Sabine. "You can have a glass of wine. It's a special occasion."

"I appreciate that, but I need to be alert. Just in case."

Sabine heaved a little sigh, disappointed, but understanding. "Alright. Just try to have a little fun, okay?"

Marinette looked over the crowd again, subtlety trying to see who was watching her.

Considering this was her first public appearance as Ladybug, there were quite a few.

"Did you need something Miss Dupain-Cheng?" A waiter asked.

"Oh…no, no just—just looking."

"Alright, don't hesitate to flag us down if you need something."

"Thank you."

He cheerfully filled up her water cup before scurrying off.

Before Marinette could get lost in her scouring, she was interrupted by Gabriel. "Adrien, will you come with me a moment? There's someone I'd like you to meet."

Adrien stood from his seat with hesitation. Even now, at an event like this, Gabriel wanted him to rub shoulders with business folk? Maybe not, and so his curiosity propelled him on into following.

"Should I come too?" Marinette asked.

"No no, just…just relax Marinette."

Ah, so this was one of his business associates. Well, he'd humor his father this once, and see what this was all about.

They crossed the room, coming upon a group of laughing men, all in expensive suits with expensive wine in hand, with expensive watches on their wrists, and fattened with expensive foods.

Adrien immediately felt out of place.

"Adrien, this is M. Mercier. He's the lawyer handling your case with Salo."

"Hello there, kiddo." The man grasped his hand tightly and shook. "Nice to formally meet! Of course, your father and I have been in contact for a long time. Don't worry, we have everything under control."

Well. That was good. It wasn't as if he had to testify or re-hash anything he had been through. It was all recorded.

"And this is M. Chevrolet, he works on the Board at Gabriel. One of the primary stockholders."

"We met when you were just a boy," he clarified with a tight handshake. "But you were so busy with modeling, there was really no reason for us to chat. But now that that avenue is closed, I've been working on finding you a position in the company. One that wouldn't require too much investment, so you can come home to your wife at night." He smiled. "And well, since college isn't in the future either, it might not be exactly lucrative, but you are a stockholder, as Gabriel's son. Of course, you could always fall back into superheroing, if you think you could."

Was this man…_mocking_ him?

"Adrien hasn't ever specified if he was interested in college or not," Gabriel said calmly. "But I do thank you for looking out for him. He and Marinette have been…apprehensive about the future."

"Oh of course they have."

That tone, no matter how well intended, made Adrien bristle. He didn't have to take this. He didn't need to be polite.

He tapped his wrist, an indication he needed meds.

"Alright, you can go back." His father excused, absently.

As Adrien turned to leave, he could hear M. Chevrolet say, "You know, he's not going to get anywhere not speaking. He'll be lucky if I can get him in as a janitor."

He hurried his paces back to the table, gnawing on his lip and trying not to cry.

Before he got half-way there, a hand reached out and grabbed his wrist.

He jumped, yanking his wrist free, and stood prepared to fight.

A woman looked at him with shock and horror. "Oh my goodness! Mr. Agreste, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to scare you, I just wanted to get your attention."

Adrien relaxed into a stance a normal person would take. He then noticed there was a little girl sitting at the table next to the woman. The girl's face was badly scarred, and she wouldn't meet his eyes.

"This is my daughter, Adrianne." The woman smiled. "She…she was in the same place as you. My ex-boyfriend owed that woman some money…and she took Adrianne as ransom. Because you and Ladybug escaped, the police were able to find her and bring her home. So…I just wanted to say thank you."

"Thank you Chat Noir." Said Adrianne. She was so quiet, it was almost lost in the crowd. But he heard it, and that's all that mattered.

Adrien crouched, getting eye level with the girl, and gently rested a hand on her head, petting her hair in a way that he enjoyed too. The girl smiled up at him, face full of respect and adoration.

He mimicked the action of typing on a phone.

"My phone? Uh, here…" Said the woman.

Adrien put in his contact information, and whispered Adrianne, right in her ear. "If you need anything, just text me. Chat Noir and Ladybug will help."

Then, Adrianne's subdued smile doubled, turning bright and warm. It warmed his chest, and gave him hope.

—

Marinette kept on a firm alert. It was hard not to panic, with the discovery she had just made, but the fear twitched her fingers. She needed to find Adrien and get out of here, but she couldn't give away what knowledge she'd learned.

A man, just a table over, had a gun concealed. She saw it as he reached forward for a glass of water, and she was trying not to stare.

But she did.

A very rational part of her brain told her he was probably a police officer, and it was no big deal. But she had killed police officers during her rage, and their vow to protect and serve didn't prevent thoughts of revenge.

Once Adrien came back, she'd steer him towards the elevator, and they'd make a break for it. They had appeared. They didn't owe anyone anything else.

As she cast her glance over the room, she missed her target moving. "Uh, excuse me?" He asked.

Marinette turned, wide eyed and horrified to see the man standing beside her.

He knelt to get on her level. "Sorry, I Uh...I just wanted to check in with you. I saw you looking at my gun. I'm with the police. I'm here because I worked on your case, but I'm also on security."

Oh, she knew who he was. Now that she had a good look at him, she recognized him from the last time they met.

"I stabbed you. At the Police station...I stabbed you with a lance...I killed you."

"Yeah, you sure did." He laughed nervously.

She shut her eyes tightly, swallowing the bile in her throat.

"But," the man continued. "So did Stoneheart, and Glaciator, and Siren, and Frozer. There were probably a couple others. Being on the force in Paris with Akumas is always a gamble. But, I'm back. Ladybug always brings me back."

"I'm sorry..."

"I forgive you. I haven't held it against any other Akuma, so why would it be different for you?"

"I...I just..." there was so much relief, she couldn't find the words to say. She wanted to apologize for being suspicious of him.

"I'll be right over there. If anyone tries anything, we'll handle it. I mean, of course Ladybug and Chat Noir are more than capable of handling anything...the chief just wants you to be able to relax. So, relax. Okay, Miss Ladybug?"

Marinette allowed herself to take a calming breath and smile. "Thank you. I think I will."

It was only a minute or two before Adrien returned, looking less than happy.

"Is everything alright?"

He didn't respond to her question, but offered a hand out to her.

She took it, and allowed him to help her out of her seat. He led her to the dance floor, and wrapped his arm around her waist while he held the other in his own.

Then, he began to lead her in time with the music.

"We're the only ones dancing," she commented astutely.

"Yes. Everyone knows it's rude to interrupt a dancing couple."

"Who'd your father want you to meet?"

"Some rich assholes."

"Just as I thought."

Adrien guided her out into a twirl, and the band began to play just a little louder. Just for them.

"There's a little girl here, Adrianne." Adrien said. "She was held prisoner like us. You should say hi to her when we get the chance. I gave her my number, in case she needed anything."

"I'm glad. I would like to meet her." A quick turn, and her long skirt flailed outwards in a glittering pinwheel. "There's security guards here with guns, in case anyone tries any funny business. I was told we could relax."

"I am relaxed," Adrien assured. "This is the most relaxed I can get nowadays."

"I feel the same."

"But I feel better here with you."

"Because I'm tough and I'll kick anyone's ass?"

"Yes." He chuckled. "Exactly."

The band lulled into something a little slower, to Tchaikovsky's Valse Sentimentale, so that Adrien could bring her a little closer, chest to chest. The slow pull of the strings allowed them pause, to hold each other without anyone thinking it was anything other than dancing.

"Do your feet hurt?" He whispered.

"No. Are you okay?"

"I'm wonderful, my lady."

"Good. We never got to have a first dance at our wedding."

"I suppose we can count this for now." He hummed. "But I want a real wedding first. One that I'm happy for, and I get to see you in a pretty white dress."

"This is just practice then," she amended. "So we can get used to dancing in front of people."

"I think our battles were a little like dancing, we worked in tandem all the time."

"When we weren't getting tangled in my yo-yo."

"You got better. I secretly think you wanted to be close to me."

"Subconsciously, way deep inside."

"Glad I finally got you to admit it."

"Only to you, love."

When they finally decided to sit back down, there was some faint applause from the room.

"You guys are the definition of adorable," Said Alya, as Adrien helped Marinette take her seat.

"Thank you. It's fun dancing with a twirly skirt."

"I got it on video, if you want it later."

"Thanks Al."

From there, it was smooth conversation. Gabriel didn't try to introduce anyone else to them, and Marinette actually found herself beginning to relax.

The lights dimmed, and Mayor Bourgeois took the podium.

"Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen, today we are here to pay respect to the heroes of our city, Ladybug and Chat Noir!"

There was a resounding applause from the crowd.

"There is no doubt of your strength and courage. Heroes you were, heroes you will always be. Know that every moment you suffered, we were right there with you, hearts breaking, and voices full of prayers. Hundreds of brave men and women put their lives and families on the line to do what it took to bring you home. Tonight, we want to thank them for their hard work."

Marinette closed her eyes, a pain in her gut. Now she would come face to face with the numbers. All the people that died trying to save them? Or was she thanking all the people that failed?

By time she came out of her thoughts, there was a woman up at the podium. "…the brave men and women that were assigned to this case, that spent hours analyzing footage and clues to try and get a lead. It was the most exhausting case the bureau has undertaken to date…"

Marinette crossed her arms, but tried not to show her disdain. What was she supposed to say? Thanks for trying?

"Every day, our hearts broke a little more for our heroes…"

She heard Adrien sigh behind her.

Soon, another man took the podium. This time, she did catch a name, Arthur Vanderguard, Minister of Interior. The last time she had seen him, he had been dangling off the edge of a building, Chat's claws in his neck being the only thing separating him from a nasty fall.

He looked right at them. "Marinette, Adrien, thank you for coming to our little dinner. It hasn't been that long since you got out, about you're both looking well. On behalf of the police department, the city of Paris, and France itself, I'm truly sorry for failing you."

That was not what she was expecting. These bureaucrats had all gotten up and talked about how hard it was for them, but patting themselves on the back for their hard work anyways. For someone, especially the Minister of Interior, to admit they failed?

It was unfathomable.

"We did try hard. But in the end, Hawkmoth had to step up to the plate. That's humbling. Someone our city has been fighting for years in the one to fix our mess. We were fighting a war on both sides. The war to save the innocent, and the war to protect the ones we love. Your bravery and strength supersedes that of all of Paris. You endured pain we can't imagine, even with the footage we saw. And when you escaped, you went out and talked some sense into us. Into me. I was afraid of Edward Savauge and Salo. And that fear prevented me from doing my job. But not anymore. Because of your actions, I and everyone once that were being blackmailed by them are free to do our jobs the way we're supposed to. The way we vowed we would from the beginning. So, Ladybug, Chat Noir, I owe you an apology, and a sincere thank you. Despite everything, all your pain, all the trauma, you still managed to make Paris a better place. You truly are heroes, and I sincerely hope that you'll continue to watch over us in one way or another. Thank you."

The apology washed over her like fresh water on a hot day. After what she had done to the officials of the city, she was certain she owed them one instead. She underestimated the effect Lady Lacrima had had.

Mayor Bourgeois was back at the podium. "Of course, there is one more person we'd like to hear from tonight. The foundation of hope in Paris, resilient, brave, and strong. The Lady of the hour, Ladybug!"

Marinette tensed up as the crowd clapped.

"Did you know you were speaking?" Asked Alya.

"No! No, I had no idea! I don't know what to say! Alya—"

But a strong hand clasped her shoulder as Adrien stood, taking her place.

"Adrien?"

He just kissed her forehead. Then he tugged on Chloe's pigtail and gestured to her to follow.

"Err, Chat Noir, everyone!" The Mayor corrected, as Adrien made his way to the podium.

He took the mic off the stand and handed it to Chloe.

"What am I supposed to say?" She hissed.

He shook his head, and then went over to the grand piano, silently asking to have a seat.

The pianist scuttled off, giving him the bench. Adrien moved Chloe's arm so she was holding the mic in front of his mouth.

Then he began to play.

Just a chord at a time. High, low, high, low. Slow, and droning.

Then he began to sing, with a voice soft and full of the grit of silence.

_So far from who I was_

_From who I love_

_From who I want to be_

There were gasps all around the room, shocked to hear him not just speak, but _sing_.

_So far from all our dreams_

_From all it means_

_From you here next to me_

"Is this the song he was working on?" Whispered Nino.

"I think so…"

_So far from seeing home_

_I stand out here alone_

_Am I asking for too much?_

Watching his face, Adrien had closed his eyes, and furrowed his brows in concentration. He was putting everything into this.

_So far from being free_

_Of the past that's haunting me_

_The future I just can't touch_

His voice broke, not conditioned for singing, and so filled with sincerity.

_And if you take my hand_

_Please pull me from the dark_

_And show me hope again_

He looked up and over to Marinette, holding her gaze, like she was the only person in the room. And to him, she was.

_We'll run side-by-side_

_No secrets left to hide_

_Sheltered from the pain_

The song faded out with the final chord, and he stood. The applause was overwhelming, and he bobbed his head in gratitude. As he made his way back over to the table, Marinette stood to greet him, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Thank you for saving me, Kitty."

"I thought if someone was giving us the opportunity to speak, I ought to make it worthwhile."

Marinette kissed him then, right on the lips and unashamed of being seen by anyone.

The rest of the meal went smoothly. Marinette and Adrien were allowed to remain at their table, only occasionally being bothered by other guests, but mostly just basking in the fancy atmosphere and good company. Even Gabriel was on good behavior. Though he did occasionally sneak looks at Adrien throughout the meal.

It wasn't until they got back to the bakery, Gabriel and Emilie included, that things took a turn.

"Adrien, do you mind if I have a word?" Gabriel asked, as the rest headed upstairs.

Emilie and Marinette both hesitated, and stayed just out of sight, eavesdropping.

Adrien had a hunch he knew what was about to happen, and only clenched his fist to hold himself back.

"Your behavior tonight was inappropriate." Gabriel began.

Adrien's nostrils flared, but he remained quiet.

"You snubbed two very important people that only wanted to help you. It was not an appropriate time to dance with Marinette, especially since I had other people I wanted you to talk to, and you deeply insulted Mayor Bourgeois with that performance. He put on this dinner for you and Marinette, the least you could have done was thank him for it. Instead, you treated this like one of your high school parties. All eyes were on you, and consequently, all eyes were on me."

"I've heard enough!" Emilie snapped, coming around the corner.

"Now dear—"

"Don't you 'now dear' me!" She sent a perfectly manicured hand into his cheek. "How dare you, Gabe! Is this how you talked to him after I left? Is this normal for you?!"

Adrien rested a hand on her shoulder. "Mom, I'll take it from here."

Both Agreste's snapped their jaws shut at his tone. At his _voice_.

Marinette peeked around the corner, just visible enough for comfort and support.

"Father, I don't need your criticisms anymore. I know perfectly well how to behave at an event. I left the conversation with your 'important men' because they were patronizing me. I didn't appreciate it. I left in the most civil way I could, but I've been through too much to be treated like that. I'm not stupid, and I'm not weak. I'm just as capable as anyone else. Maybe more so." He breathed deep, being spurred on by the attentive look on Gabriel's face. He wasn't angry, he was just _listening_. "I wanted to dance with my wife. I saw an opportunity, and I took it. No one else seemed to mind. And, that song I performed I wrote myself, in isolation. Marinette wasn't prepared to speak, but I knew my song would convey everything that needed to be said." He nodded once. "There. I explained myself. Are you happy now?"

Gabriel Agreste didn't smile. Not really. The closest he got was a slight twitch of his lips. And that's what he did. "Yes. I am."

Adrien blinked. "You are?"

"Yes. Thank you for explaining to me. I misunderstood your behavior. I'm sorry I snapped at you."

Adrien almost cried then. Both from shock and relief.

"It was a very lovely song, by the way. I think it did get the point across."

"Th…thank you, Father."

"You're welcome." He squeezed his arm. "Now come along, I believe Sabine is making coffee for us."

* * *

Adrien's song is 'So Close' by Olafur Arnalds.


	47. Convicting

If you asked Adrien or Marinette how much time they spent in that courtroom, they wouldn't have an answer.

The truth was several days. They were testifying against Bianca Furtoli and Edward Savage. Every other employee under them would also face the judge, but to spare the victims, Adrien and Marinette's presence was only required for the first two.

How can justice be served for such terrible atrocities? Where does one even start? This had been the hot debate on the news and talk shows for many weeks following the incident.

But now, it was time to face whatever punishment the court thought suited them. This meant dredging up everything, footage, testimonies, and extremely painful memories.

On that gloomy gray March day, Marinette and Adrien may as well have been back in their dungeon. As it was, they sat at a table in the front of the courtroom, while the voices of the spectators washed over them. Their families and Alya, Nino, and Chloe sat behind them, as a wall of solitude, and a source of comfort.

The Palais de Justice was a beautiful historic building, the gothic fortress where Marie Antoinette met her end. A truly monumental chamber to hold the biggest trial in recent Parisian history. And since it was such a huge trial, the State of France decided to move the trial straight up to the Cour de Cassation, the Supreme Court. Marinette glanced around the room, letting her attention wander over the gold plated rococo filigree scrawled along the walls and ceiling. There was so much to take in, she could get lost in it. She wished she could.

They were flanked on either side, a lawyer next to Marinette, and Adrien's bodyguard on the outside by Adrien. Police officers stood in every corner.

It was a picture of order and safety. Nothing bad could happen.

Marinette repeated this to herself, even as the hulking, orange suited form of Edward Savauge was led in, four officers connected to him with handcuffs. Though he was clearly outnumbered, he still looked like he could take all of the officers binding him. Strong and smart, a deadly combination.

The Judges entered, nine in total. With one man to preside over them as the president. A rotund man with large jowls and a long pointed nose. His eyes were dark, inset, and held no mercy. This was a man that would decide the future of all those that had harmed Marinette and Adrien:

Magistrate Severin Madeesi.

As Edward approached the bench, the courtroom grew dark. Dark as night. Just like the night in the alley way when it all began.

The walls were washed into shipping containers. Bright lights shone forward, casting Edward's inhuman shadow on the wall.

Judge Madeesi stood where that young man had stood before he was gunned down. But this man was unafraid, stoic, and serious.

"This is a criminal case brought by the City of Paris charging the defendant, Edward Savauge, with act of assisting in the kidnap and torture of Adrien Agreste and Marinette Dupain-Cheng. The City claims that Savauge, with an impulsive intent to cause harm, enlisted the help of several men to subdue and torture a minor and young adult. While initially cleared of involvement, new evidence has come to light and the case is to be reviewed."

The judge looked up, the headlights from the vehicle turning his glasses white. "Mr. Savauge, how do you plead?"

"Not guilty."

This was the moment. The men around Savauge withdrew their guns, aiming them at the judge.

"_Nothing personal kid."_

"RUN!" Marinette screamed. "DON'T SHOOT!"

—

She hadn't even lasted five minutes in the courtroom. Marinette sat outside in the hall, head resting on her knees as she breathed hard. Sabine and Emilie sat on either side of her, just rubbing her arms and offering her comfort.

"It wasn't really like that." Marinette muttered. "There was nothing to be afraid of…but it felt so real…"

"It was real to you." Sabine said. "And that just goes to show how much pain he caused."

"I'm so weak…"

"No, you're not." Sabine squeezed her arm. "After what they did to you, you're still here. That's profound."

"I ran away."

Sabine coaxed her head up, to look her in the eye. "Not when it counted, you didn't. The reason he got off last time was because you weren't there to testify. Ladybug, you take your time to gather strength. And when you're ready, you march into that courtroom, and you tell the Judge exactly what he did. Things he said or threats, whatever you can remember."

"What if it doesn't make a difference?"

"It will. I promise, it will."

Marinette rubbed her hands together, her skin cold and clammy, and her fingers trembling. A red, black spotted hand grabbed hers tightly, and squeezed.

Fearful, Marinette raised her eyes to look at Ladybug. The vision just smiled at her, "I'm with you. I was there. You just let me do the talking."

Marinette nodded her head, and climbed to shaky legs. Ladybug took hold of both of her wrists and walked her back into the courtroom, like a puppet.

"Miss Dupain-Cheng, are you ready to continue?" Asked the judge.

"Yes, your honor."

Ladybug led her back up front, and had her sit in her chair next to Adrien, Ladybug's hands pressing into her shoulders to keep her seated.

How many hours passed that way? Frozen in her seat as the prosecution rehashed the crimes and evidence from the first trial. The fingerprints from the guns, the body outline on the ground, the car left at the crime scene. Everything that should have stacked against Savauge, but only didn't because of his influence and loopholes.

"And now, Miss Dupain-Cheng," addressed Judge Madeesi. "Thank you for willing to testify."

"Please address me as Ladybug," she squeaked out, with no authority.

Judge Madeesi gave her a strange look, then corrected, "Alright, Miss Ladybug. The floor is yours."

Marinette felt Ladybug's hands hook under her armpits and raise her up out of the seat, then she walked forward to the bench.

The headlights were so bright, and Edward Savauge's silhouette was so huge…she started crying.

But Ladybug started to talk, to answer for her. "It was an average nightly patrol for Chat and I. We had separated. I went to the docks, and he had gone to Barbes Boulevard. When I arrived at the docks, I saw a bright light being shone down an alleyway of shipping containers. A young man stood in the light, like an interrogation."

"Can you remember the young man?"

"He was called Charles. And he owed Mr. Savauge a lot of money."

"Did you know it was Mr. Savauge when you arrived?"

"Not until I listened into the conversation. Charles called him Eddy, and then Mr. Savauge."

"What else did Charles say?"

Marinette sobbed, just replaying that moment where she watched him die over and over, but Ladybug spoke calmly. "He begged for his life, begged for more time. Mr. Savauge suggested he work off his debt as a prostitute. Charles refused, stating that he had a girl. Then Mr. Savauge said he knew that Charles had a life insurance policy, and that he was worth more dead than alive."

Despite Ladybug holding her up under her arms, Marinette had to brace herself on the railing of the bench.

"And then what happened?" Asked Judge Madeesi, softly.

"He told his men to open fire, and I jumped in front of Charles, my yo-yo creating a shield."

"What prompted you to get involved?"

"I knew I was going to talk to him at some point, because he had said he knew who Hawkmoth was. When he told his men to open fire, I knew I had to intervene. I would have, regardless of his knowledge."

"And did he ever tell you?"

"He said it was a figure of speech. That he knew everything, even Hawkmoth's identity, even though he didn't."

"Would you be able to explain the circumstances surrounding Charles Exavier's death?"

"I was protecting him, behind my yo-yo shield. He told me to cover him…and he darted out from behind. I saw him get shot. He didn't even scream."

"And then?"

"They kept firing at me, until Chat arrived for backup, and took out the thugs from behind. Once they stopped firing, I was able to subdue Savauge with my Yo-yo and call the police."

"Did Savauge say anything to you at this time?"

"He told me his name, said that he was very powerful and if I tried to do anything to him, I'd suffer instead. He said if I agreed to let him go, he'd leave me alone. But I refused and he said we were enemies instead. He was silent then, until the police came."

Judge Madeesi made some notes as he listened to her testimony, and then asked, "there was an instance, after you freed yourself from capture that you were akumatized and went after Savauge yourself in revenge. Do you remember anything about this exchange?"

Ladybug's strong arms disappeared from under her arms, and she slid to her knees, crying.

Judge Madeesi waited patiently. "Take the time you need to collect yourself. Your testimony is crucial to this trial."

Different hands, black and splattered with blood, wrapped around her torso and heaved her to her feet.

"You're a soldier, stand or die."

The judge gave her another concerned look. "Is that something he said to you?"

"Lady Lacrima." Marinette whimpered out. "Her name is Lady Lacrima. She's speaking for me. My akuma."

Judge Madeesi folded his hands in front of his face. "Go on."

To everyone else, Marinette simply shifted her shoulders, before she began her tale in gruesome detail and tongue dripping with venom. "He knew we were coming for him. He packed his flat with cannon fodder. Some of them weren't even armed. Just bodies to tear through and waste our time before we could get to him. He should have been punished for his crimes, but he wasn't. He was just living it up in his fancy penthouse. I decided to play with him. He had a record sitting out by the player, called Una Furtiva Lacrima. I put it on, to scare him, to let him know I was there. And when I found him, he was sitting in a study, drinking wine and smoking a cigar." She snarled. "He spoke with confidence and joked, but I could smell his fear. It smelled like rotting garbage. He was a liar, and it filled up to his neck with deceit. He tried to barter with me. He tried to offer me whatever I wanted in exchange for his life. He said no one had ever beaten him, or gotten as far as we had. He had never served prison time since he was young. He bragged. I don't know if he was trying to intimidate me, or flatter me. But it didn't work."

"You killed him," stated the judge, knowing the very public aftermath of that interaction.

"Marinette wouldn't, she's too weak. And Ladybug's too good. But I…Grimalkin and I have no qualms. We did what no one else in this city had the guts to do. And if you don't put him away, I'll come for you next."

Marinette wretched free from the hands holding her. "She doesn't mean that! I'm not that person! I don't want to hurt anyone! Please!" She cupped a hand over her mouth.

"That's all the questions I have for you, Miss Dupain-Cheng. You can sit back down."

Marinette took shaky steps back to her chair, before collapsing into it. Adrien was there immediately, combing through her hair and kissing her cheek.

"I don't know what happened…" She whispered.

"Trauma." He answered for her.

"Edward Savauge," Judge Madeesi spoke. "You will return at a later date for your sentencing. The validity of Miss Dupain-Cheng's testimony must be checked, and then we will reach a decision."

—

Bianca Furtoli, the most hated woman in the world, laid face down in a cell. Any day now, she would be facing the judge and forced to confess to everything.

But today, she laid on her cot, cheeks itchy from the constant tears. Sleep evaded her, as every time she closed her eyes, she felt the heat licking at her bones. Hell was around the corner.

"Furtoli, do you have any family you want to reach out too?"

"I have no family." Not anymore. No biological family left alive, and none of her previously trusted friends could she even bear to look at. No, she was alone now.

Regardless, there was a woman sitting in a metal chair just outside her cell. A notepad resting on her crossed legs as she bounced her leg. She looked completely unbothered to be sitting in front of _Salo_.

"What do you want?" Bianca asked.

"My name is Bonnie. I'm a court ordered psychologist. I'm here to determine if you are sane to face trial."

"I'm sane, and I'm aware. I'm a monster who has done horrible things. My moral compass was broken, and now I must face the consequences of my actions."

Bonnie gave her a considerate look. "Doesn't quite sound like the ramblings of an insane woman. The officers made it sound like you had gone off the deep end."

"On the contrary, I think this is the most sane I've been in my whole life." She rolled over to lay on her back and look at the ceiling. "Or perhaps I'm only aware of the world happening around me, and my place in the machine."

"Now we're getting somewhere."

"I thought…before, before I died and went to hell…I thought that I was the center of everything. I know people are intrinsically selfish, but…I thought I was the only real person. I thought I was in control, and I could do whatever I wanted, once I figured out how to get around the rules."

"When did you first decide this?"

"I was born in Sicily, to a rather poor family. My grandmother was a devout catholic, and my mother tried. My father was an abusive bastard. He did whatever he wanted to me and my brothers, and my mother didn't do anything to stop it."

"And how did that make you feel?"

"I thought it was unfair…for a while. Until I learned that I didn't have to take it. I ran away. I was in control of my own life, and decided to do what I wanted. I stole a car, robbed a few houses…it was fine. I married early, still in high school. He was a good kid, probably the only man I ever really loved."

Bonnie's pen flew across her page, trying to take this all in.

"Don't get me wrong, I loved Edward…but only for his power. The control he subjected over people was…thrilling. I had never met anyone that felt the same way about it as I did."

"You liked to control people?" Bonnie asked, as if she didn't know that this patient had kidnapped and tortured two children for over a month.

"Oh yes," Said Bianca, with nostalgia. "It started with my husband. My first husband, Joe. I loved to dominate him in bed. He didn't like it, but I'd tie him up and bang his brains out. Even when he was asleep."

"You are aware that having sex with someone, even your spouse, without permission is rape?"

"Yes, I know. He complained about it a lot. So I started seeing other men, and dominating them. I got good at it. I got paid for it. Then when Joe got a disease from me, he told me to get lost. I wasn't about to take that from him…so I stabbed him, right in the eye."

"Did you kill him?"

"No. Not at that time. He had to wear an eye patch for the rest of his life. He also joined the police and tried to do everything in his power to arrest me. I killed him a little over a month ago, when he got a little too close to finding me." She rolled onto her side, making eye contact with Bonnie. "Listen to me. I sound like a gleeful little child. I can see on your face that you're disgusted with me. I should be disgusted. But I'm not. It was fun."

"You're talking about Detective Bertony, right? Joseph Bertony? I wasn't expecting you to confess to his murder."

"I'm not hiding things anymore. Whatever anyone wants to know, I'll tell. You're here to help me, right?"

"I'm here to gauge whether you're fit to stand trial. If you aren't, you'll be transferred to a psych ward."

Bianca shook her head. "That won't work for me. I have to go to jail. I have to pay my debt to society. I have to…" She clenched her eyes shut as a heat wave took over her body. "I have to right my wrongs before I die."

"That's a lot of work."

"But you'll help me sort it out, right? You'll tell me what to do?"

Bonnie flipped over another page in her notebook. "I'll try, at least." Taking a deep breath, she plowed on. "So, was Joseph your first murder then?"

"No, not hardly." Bianca scoffed. "That honor falls to my father."

"You killed your father?"

"And my mother. He was barely human, and he treated me like dirt. He had to go. And my mother never stopped him, so she had to go too."

"Dare I ask how you did this?"

"Arson. I burned my old house down. I got my brothers out at least. They went to go live with Nonna, and I bolted all the doors and windows shut…and then burned the whole thing to the ground." She let her lips turn into a sick smile. "They're still burning to this day. And I don't care."

Bonnie concealed her nausea well, and changed the subject. "When did you meet Mr. Savauge?"

"He was a client of my personal business."

"Your dominatrix business?"

"Yep. He was a regular. One day, he asked if I was as good as causing pain for pain as I was at pain for pleasure. I said I wasn't sure, but I'd love to try. It felt like my real calling. Torturing people for kicks? I didn't usually have to capture them myself."

"And you never felt any empathy? Remorse?"

"Not a bit."

"Not even now? After your trip to hell?"

Bianca slammed her eyes shut, the hot flash taking her swiftly. She could feel the maggots gnawing at her skin and she rubbed her arms to rid the sensation. "I'm not sure what this feeling is. It's unfamiliar to me. I feel sick, and nauseous. But more when I remember what I saw, rather than what I did to them."

"What would you say to them? If they were standing here?"

Bianca twisted in her cot, feeling uncomfortable and ill. "I'd say sorry."

"Because you really are sorry?"

Bianca laid face down on the cot again, hiding her face for a moment, before peering out to answer. "I remember some nights, when I was a child, and my father would hurt me…the pain, the fear, the unfairness…I think that's probably how they felt."

"That's empathy." Bonnie assured. "Trying to feel what someone else feels. That's a good thing. Psychopaths don't usually feel that way."

"Then there's hope for me?"

"Quite possibly."

In her notebook, Bonnie wrote one more note. _Able to stand trial, but unfit for society. My recommendation, life without parole._

—

After the recess, the court reconvened. With assurances from their family and friends, Marinette and Adrien were ready to take on the second part of the trial.

After what their lawyer, M. Mercier, had said about his meeting with Salo's lawyer, it was likely that the trial was going to be short. Salo had taken a plea deal, and all they had to do was show up.

Marinette was cautious. Yes, there was undeniable evidence this time. There wasn't a person in Paris that didn't know what she had done. But this woman was slippery and had wiggled free from punishment this far. Would this finally stick?

Finally, the doors opened and a woman was escorted in. Not the woman they had remembered. There was no leather, no red hair, no sunglasses. Instead, there was an orange jumpsuit, and black hair, cut shoulder length and matted into a dirty mess. The look on her face was haunted, and exhausted.

Like Edward Savauge, she was escorted in with four men, but they were practically dragging her.

"This is a criminal case brought by the City of Paris charging the defendant, Bianca Furtoli, with act of malicious and premeditated kidnap and torture, and murder of several individuals, including minors. The City claims that Furtoli, with an impulsive intent to cause harm, enlisted the help of several men to subdue and torture individuals under the pretense of debt or revenge. While she had several accomplices, most worked under threat or for hire, while Furtoli was in complete control of the operation."

Marinette couldn't tear her eyes away from Salo. She looked completely different. She shook in her hand cuffs, and looked incredibly small.

"Miss Bianca Furtoli, in the case of Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste, how do you plead?"

"Guilty!" The plea vomited from her mouth.

"In the case of Adrianne Bisset, how do you plead?"

"Guilty!"

"In the case of Marcel Weaver, how do you plead?"

"Guilty!"

On and on, judge Madeesi listed off victims of Salo's brutal tortures and murders. Every single one, she pleaded guilty to. No insanity pleas, nothing. She owned up to every single one.

"I have papers here from a psychologist who conducted a rudimentary evaluation to see if you were fit to stand trial. I have her sentencing recommendation. After reviewing the tapes that you yourself posted on the internet, speaking with your lawyer, and for the well being of your surviving victims, I see no point in pushing back your sentencing for a later date."

Bianca trembled and put her face in her hands.

"Therefore, I sentence you, Bianca Furtoli, to serve 48 life sentences back to back, one for each of your victims, with no chance for parole. You will be taken from here, and escorted to a high security Prison outside of Paris, where you shall remain for the rest of your days."

Marinette never thought she'd witness someone weeping tears of joy after being sentenced to life in prison, but she never really considered Salo sane in the first place.

She was being urged away from the bench. "Wait!" Called Salo. "I need to talk to them before I go!"

"Who?"

"Marinette and Adrien. Please."

Judge Madeesi looked skeptical, but waved her on.

And then Salo looked at them, her eyes full of emotions too wild to decipher. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "There's nothing I can say to fix this. There's nothing I can do to help. But because of you, I can start living the way I should. Thank you."

_I hate you. I'll kill you. I hope you rot._ These were all sentences that ran through both Adrien and Marinette's minds as Salo wrapped up her apology.

Adrien looked away.

Marinette just shook her head. "I will never forgive you."

—

Later that evening, after celebratory cupcakes, Adrien and Marinette retired early to their room, despite the company that still remained in the bakery.

"You've had a long day," Sabine cooed. "Don't feel obligated to stay and talk."

"Thanks mom," Marinette yawned. "I'm kind of done with today anyway. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, sweetie."

Up in their room, Marinette stretched and went to her pajama drawer.

"Are you actually tired?" Asked Adrien.

"A little, I thought I'd stay up and watch some youtube. Why?"

"Can I take you somewhere?"

"What do you mean?"

"Can _Chat Noir_ take you somewhere?"

"A surprise?"

"A good one."

"Okay then." She smiled at him. Together, they climbed up to her balcony and transformed.

"Follow me, we're going to make a few stops first, and uh…just bear with me."

"Okay?" She chuckled.

He led her across rooftops, some familiar for patrol, some only traversed every once in a while.

His first stop was out back of a grocer, by the dumpster.

"Romantic?" Ladybug chuckled.

"I said bear with me!" He laughed back. Then he started digging through the garbage.

"What are you looking for?"

"Bottles, glass…breakables."

"Okay…" She assisted him in his treasure hunt, pilfering through the bags to pull out some empty jars and glass bottles. He had a bag with him, and put them in it.

"Where to next?" She asked.

"I think we need more stuff." And he leapt back up to the roofs.

They stopped at several more places like that, gathering breakables.

"What are we doing with all this?"

"Surprise. I think you'll like it."

This time, he led her farther away from downtown, to a grittier part of the city. He stopped on a tall building that was butted up to another building pretty closely. There was a small alley in between, but looked too small for most people to even go down. He dropped his bag on the edge of the roof, looking down into the alley.

"Is this your surprise?"

"Yep." He grinned. "I used to come here when I was feeling really overwhelmed and trapped. I'd just come here and break shit. After, I'd just feel better."

"Isn't that littering?"

"Just try it, it's cathartic."

Ladybug took a glass bottle out of the bag, held it over the edge, and let it go.

She watched as it travelled down the several stories, growing smaller and smaller until it disappeared into the dark. Then it shattered, skittering across the ground with a burst of sound and flickering remnants.

"It was...kind of fun?" She hesitated.

Chat Noir took his own bottle, a brown beer bottle, and threw it down, the wind whistling past the opening before it hit a wall and bounced, hitting the other and shattering. The pieces clattered like rain down below.

At first, she didn't get it. It was littering, despite what he argued, and they were making a mess.

But then something clicked.

When Adrien found out about his mother, he trashed his room. Absolutely destroyed it. And then he felt better afterwards.

"I see." She said softly, as he broke his third bottle.

"Hmm?"

"Thank you for sharing this with me. You know I love you, even at your weakest."

"Are you sure, My Lady?"

"Of course. Do you love me?"

"Yes." He said it so strongly, so surely, it should have dissuaded any need for arguing. But it didn't.

"Because you want to, or you have to?"

"Have to?"

"Yeah…everyone has kind of been forcing us to make our marriage official, which, I don't mind. I really don't…but I don't want to if you just think it's the proper thing to do."

"Marinette, we've talked about this before. I love you, for you. I always have. I'm marrying you because I want to. Yeah, it's earlier in life than we expected, but I think it's good for us. Why all the doubt all of a sudden?"

"I don't know…I just got a weird feeling. It must just be the anxiety."

"I know what to do."

"What?"

"To get you to believe me. To believe I'm all for this, all for us."

"And what's that?"

"Plagg, Claws in." A flash of green, and Adrien stood there. His smile smoothed into something softer, more meaningful. His hand came to caress her arm, down to her wrist, to hold her hand gently.

Then he got down on one knee.

"Adrien?" She breathed.

He couldn't even speak for a moment, just looking up at her, with her hand resting daintily in his.

He reached into his pocket.

"Oh my god."

The box in his other hand was small and white, and she didn't even look at the ring before she started sobbing.

"No, please don't cry," Adrien whispered with misty eyes.

"Happy tears!" She shouted. "I swear!" She rubbed her face as her whole body trembled with emotion. "Yes! Yes I will!"

"You'll marry me?"

"I was going to anyway!" She laughed.

Adrien stood, and opened the box so she could see it. "It's a Vintage Marquette cut. And a rose gold band. Since you like pink so much."

"It's beautiful," she breathed. "You didn't have to get me something fancy."

"I wanted to. You're my princess, and I want to spoil you." He flipped over her hand to expose the branded scar with 'Chat Noir' engraved into her skin. He lifted her hand to his face and kissed her palm. "I never wanted to lay claim to you like _this_. But what's done is done."

"At least we match."

"I don't mind it. In fact, I smile every time I see it. Because despite everything we went through, I have you."

Marinette held her tears back long enough for him to slip the ring on her finger, before she threw her arms around his neck. He squeezed her tightly to him, petting her hair and kissing her cheeks.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

As if divine providence, Marinette glanced up and saw, spectacularly, a shooting star. "A shooting star!"

"What? Really!?"

"Yes!"

"Quick, make a wish!"

She pulled away to look at him. "There's nothing else I want."

He squeezed her arms. "You get a free wish, woman! Make a wish!"

—

I had always planned for Adrien to propose at the end of this chapter. Little did I know that MY OWN BOYFRIEND WOULD PROPOSE WHILE I WAS WORKING ON IT!

The shooting star actually happened immediately after our proposal. It was so magical and borderline corny. I couldn't resist putting it in this chapter!


	48. Wedding

"Nervous?"

Marinette sat in a chair, facing a mirror as Jillian curled her hair. Alya sat arms length away, almost beaming.

The enchanting dress hung on a hook in the middle of the room, slightly glowing from the sunlight pouring in the windows.

"Not really, no." Marinette answered with a smile. "I thought I'd be shaking…but really, if everything goes wrong today, it will still be better than the first one."

"Nothing is going to go wrong, girl. We've got this thing planned down to the very last detail. Chloe's got everything on lockdown, down to the very last T. All you have to do is smile, give your vows, smooch your man, and then relax! Piece of cake!"

"Like I said, I'm not even nervous. This is our day."

Giverny. A tiny little village in the region of Normandy, in Northern France. Here, Claude Monet had his chateau and his garden. Here in May, the flowers were blooming and bursting with colors, the willows draped their weeping curtains down to create walls of green, and secluded rooms in nature. The tulips and irises dotted the landscape with pinks and purples, flocked with white and mauve wisteria.

The cottage Marinette and Alya were getting ready in was no great estate, but a country getaway that was nestled in the heart of beauty. The stone walls were decorated with creeping vines, camouflaging the building into the wilds.

And outside, under the catalpa tree, Adrien would be waiting, along with a handful of friends and relatives. Just those that they truly wanted there. Sure, the whole city wanted to watch, they wanted to see the resolution, see their heroes happy, so a live stream was set up. It would last for the ceremony, and then be over just in time for them to enjoy their privacy.

Sabine zipped the dress up, hiding Marinette's scars in the white and pink lace.

She turned around, twirling her skirts in the mirror, watching the gold thread flicker in the light, and just admiring how pretty she looked.

"You look like a princess," Alya beamed, tears in her eyes. "You deserve this so much."

Marinette's own face almost hurt from smiling, she was so happy. "I think I'm ready."

"Papa's waiting just outside." Sabine handed her the bouquet. "He's probably going to cry when he sees you!"

"Tom or Adrien?" Asked Alya.

"Both!"

Marinette was led out of the cottage, and met her father, Gabriel, and Emilie on the back steps. The aisle to the altar was obscured by a sheer linen curtain. No one had seen her yet.

Except for her father, who lit up at the sight of her.

And then began to cry.

"Look at you! What a beautiful girl…I haven't seen a bride so beautiful since your mother." He sniffled.

Marinette embraced him. "Thank you, papa."

He kissed her cheek. "Are you ready, love?"

"Yes."

Nino held his arm out for Alya, beaming at Marinette with tears in his eyes too. "You look amazing Mari."

"Thank you, Nino."

"And what about me?" Alya chastised her boyfriend.

"Oh, you look drop dead gorgeous, my darling."

"That's what I thought." Alya turned and sent a wink back to Marinette.

"Adrien is certainly a lucky man," Said Gabriel, with a soft fondness not often heard from the cold man. "That dress suits you perfectly. But of course, it's not the dress that makes the bride, it's the bride that makes the dress."

"Thank you, Gabriel. I really love it."

Emilie looked about two seconds away from outright sobbing. "I'm so happy for you both! I promise these are happy tears!"

Marinette chuckled. "I understand completely."

The processional music started up.

"That's our cue." Gabriel held his other arm out for Sabine, and he walked her and his wife down the aisle.

"See you at the end," Alya winked, before walking with Nino down to the altar.

Marinette took a soothing breath as her father gathered her close with his arm. "My little girl. The light of my life, and my personal hero."

"Papa…" she chastised, emotion welling up in her voice. He was not going to render her a blubbering mess before she got to the altar.

"I know, I know. I just…I love you so much. I'm so so proud of you. Every time I look at you, as you or Ladybug, I just feel like I'm going to burst with pride. I want to shout from the rooftops, 'that's my beautiful daughter! I made that!'" He smoothed a little patch of hair next to her temple. "And I just know you're only going to be greater from here on out."

She closed her eyes as the tears pricked behind her lids. This felt right. Having her dad here, this felt proper. This was missing the first time around, and really all she wanted.

"Ready?"

"Yes. Absolutely." She nodded.

Now, her nerves started to tickle at her stomach, right before the curtain could move.

Before she saw him.

But then the white was swept away, and there was Adrien. Staring at her, mouth open, eyes wide. Before his mouth quaked and his eyes became sparkly.

Her vision blurred for a moment. He looked so completely and utterly happy, she almost sobbed.

Instead, she tripped.

Landing on her knee.

"Are you okay?" Her father asked, quickly hauling her back to her feet.

Marinette laughed. "I'm fine! I'm fine! I would trip on my wedding day!" She glanced down at her skirt. "No stains, no rips, everything's fine!"

There was a collective sigh of relief, as Tom held out his arm again and escorted her to the end of the aisle.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the presence of these witnesses, to join Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste in matrimony, which is commended to be honorable among all men; and therefore is not by any to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently, discreetly, advisedly and solemnly. Into this holy estate these two persons present now come to be joined. If any person can show just cause why they may not be joined together, let them speak now or forever hold their peace."

Of course there was only silence for a moment, before the officiant moved on.

"Who gives his girl to be married?"

"Her mother and I do," said Tom.

Marinette unhooked her father's arm, gave her bouquet to Alya, and then took Adrien's hands.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered, barely containing his joy.

"And you're really handsome," she whispered right back.

The officiant smiled at them both. "Never thought you'd see the day, hmm?"

Adrien just squeezed her hand.

"Please bow your heads in prayer."

_Heavenly father, as we enter into your presence, I pray for your blessing upon this couple and their marriage. I pray that you uphold them in your righteous right hand. That you offer your protection and shelter in times of difficulty, that you offer them rest when the past comes back to haunt them. I pray that love only blooms more brightly and more beautiful everyday in their marriage. That their love will be a testament to strength in adversity, and that they continue to have and to hold each other in every trial they face. Amen. _

Adrien's thumb brushed over Marinette's knuckles, rounding the edge of her engagement ring.

"Just like the solemn vow you both took to protect Paris, so too, are you now vowing to be joined together. Though the first time your names were joined on paper, this now, you both are coming into willingly. The commitment to your partnership you have held over the years is only a glimmer of the promise you make to each other today. Though it is similar, it is not the same. There is no taking off a costume in a marriage. You don't go home alone at night after you've fulfilled your duty. There are no days off. This is a full time commitment. But it is not one you enter in alone. You have a partner, one you can lean on in your hard days, and one you must support in your own way. As a rope with three cords is not easily broken, so are we stronger together. When you work as a team, there's nothing you can't accomplish, as you already know. There's a lifetime of laughter and joy waiting for you, and it's yours for the taking. Only if you are willing to take the bad with the good. And with what you've both been through together, I think you know what I mean.

"Adrien, there will be days when Marinette struggles. She will have sorrow, anxiety, and pain. You must wrap her in your arms and be willing to listen and help, even if you just need to lend an ear.

"Marinette, there will be days where Adrien becomes angry and frustrated, you need to be the one to offer support, whether it's help, a hug, or space. As you grow older, you will learn what each other needs. To grow and change is to be human, to learn and love is to be a spouse.

"That being said, Adrien, do you take Marinette to be your lawful wedded wife?"

Adrien nodded, speaking more seriously than he ever had in his life. "I do."

"And Marinette, do you take Adrien to be your awfully—pardon me, _lawfully_ wedded husband?"

Marinette smiled off the slip up. "I do."

"In the spirit of the importance of strong friendships to a marriage, Marinette and Adrien have asked two friends to read selections about love that especially resonate with them."

Alya delivered her words of wisdom clearly and with passion.

"_The truest love that ever heart_

_Felt at its kindled core,_

_Did through each vein, in quickened start,_

_The tide of being pour._

_"Her coming was my hope each day,_

_Her parting was my pain;_

_The chance that did her steps delay_

_Was ice in every vein._

_"I dreamed it would be nameless bliss,_

_As I loved, loved to be;_

_And to this object did I press_

_As blind as eagerly._

_"But wide as pathless was the space_

_That lay our lives between,_

_And dangerous as the foamy race_

_Of ocean-surges green._

_"My love has placed her little hand_

_With noble faith in mine,_

_And vowed that wedlock's sacred band_

_Our nature shall entwine._

_"My love has sworn, with sealing kiss,_

_With me to live - to die;_

_I have at last my nameless bliss._

_As I love - loved am I!"_

Nino stepped up next, taking the note cards out of his tux pocket and trembling like a leaf. "This excerpt is from Adrien's favorite book, the Princess Bride." He cleared his throat. "_I have stayed these years in my hovel because of you. I have taught myself languages because of you. I have made my body strong because I thought you might be pleased by a strong body. I have lived my life with only the prayer that some sudden dawn you might glance in my direction. I have not known a moment in years when the sight of you did not send my heart careening against my rib cage. I have not known a night when your visage did not accompany me to sleep. There has not been a morning when you did not flutter behind my waking eyelids._" Despite the occasional stutter, Nino delivered the reading beautifully and beamed after he was finished.

The officiant spoke again. "Two people in love do not live in isolation. Their love is a source of strength with which they may nourish not only each other but also the world around them. And in turn, we, their community of friends and family, have a responsibility to this couple. By our steadfast care, respect, and love, we can support their marriage and the new family they are creating today.

"Will everyone please rise. Will you who are present today, surround Marinette and Adrien in love, offering them the joys of your friendship, and supporting them in their marriage?

The assembled all spoke unanimously. "**We will.**"

"You may be seated."

After everyone settled, the officiant continued. "Adrien and Marinette have decided to write their own vows, and present them to each other now. Adrien, if you would?"

Adrien smiled at his bride, taking a stack of index cards out of his pocket. He cleared his throat. "This speech isn't actually as long as it looks."

There were a few giggles from the crowd.

"My Lady. My beautiful, kind, strong, wonderful lady. I've dreamt of this day since the moment we met. Since you got me wrapped up in your yo-yo, I knew I was wrapped around your finger, and you could make me do anything you wanted. There was nothing I wouldn't do for you. Even as Marinette, I found myself drawn to you, and eager to spend time with you and help you with whatever you wanted. It's as if my heart already knew who you were, and my brain just needed the time to catch up. I wrote a list of all the things I love about you, and once I knew who you were, I went through and looked, almost all of them pertained to Marinette too." He unfurled the stack of cards in his hand, having taped them together. They unfolded into a long list that hit the floor and went off a little ways. "The only ones that didn't were…" he scooted the list up a bit. "Mysterious allure, and…graceful dismounts."

Marinette laughed at him, feigning annoyance.

"You're perfect to me, my lady. Even after all that we've been through, you're still perfect. I would be the luckiest man in the world to have you standing next to me for the rest of our lives. And I promise, with all of my heart, I will never let something like we endured happen again. You will be safe with me. You'll have everything you could ever want, and I will lavish you with love every minute of every day. You may get annoyed after awhile."

Marinette tittered, pulling a hand away to wipe at her eye.

"Marinette, I promise to cherish you always, to honor and sustain you, in sickness and in health, in poverty and in wealth, and to be true to you in all things until death alone shall part us."

Marinette took a shuddering breath. "I love you."

"Is that your vow?"

"No," she giggled. She turned to Alya.

Alya's eyes widened in horror. "Oh girl! I left your notes in the cottage! I'll go get them!"

"Don't worry about it," Marinette smiled. "I practiced this enough, I should have it memorized now." She squeezed Adrien's hands. "My darling kitty. My best friend and love of my life. To stand up here with you feels like a dream come true. Teenage Marinette would have been ecstatic to be getting married to Adrien, but to find out that you are also Chat Noir makes me the luckiest girl in the world. When we were captured, and she-who-shall-not-be-named took your Miraculous, and your suit faded away, I was honestly relieved. I was terrified for us, for you, for our safety, but I was so glad that I was with you. I knew my sanity would survive with you with me. That month in isolation without you felt like a month without breathing. A month without water. Because you are everything to me, and all I need is you. I'm ready to stand beside you as your wife, to give you myself as I am, flaws and all, as long as I can have all of you, bad puns and all."

"Hey!" He beamed.

"Adrien, the first time we escaped, when we did it on our own…do you remember that moment in the hallway? You were held by the ankle, and you told me to take the Miraculous and run. And I did. But letting go of your hand in that moment was the most painful thing I ever had to do. I felt like part of my soul was being ripped away from me. I cried the whole time I stumbled through the catacombs, just missing you and so full of fear. I never want to be without you, never for the rest of my life. So please have me, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poor, until death only shall we part."

Adrien raised his hand to wipe the tear from her eye, and leaned in, prepared to kiss her, but held back, since they weren't at that part yet.

"Marinette and Adrien will now exchange rings as a symbol of love and commitment to each other. Rings are a precious metal; they are also made precious by you wearing them. Your wedding rings are special; they enhance who you are. They mark the beginning of your long journey together. Your wedding ring is a circle—a symbol of love never ending. It is the seal of the vows you have just taken to love each other without end.

"Adrien, please place the ring on Marinette's left hand and repeat after me:

_As a sign of my love_

_That I have chosen you_

_Above all else_

_With this ring, I thee wed._

The ring sat right over the engagement ring, a rose gold band to match. The bands were a little loose, but Marinette assured everyone she was still gaining weight to get back to her normal size.

"And Marinette, please place the ring on Adrien's left hand and repeat after me:

_As a sign of my love_

_That I have chosen you_

_Above all else_

_With this ring, I thee wed."_

Marinette placed the rose gold band on the opposite hand from his Miraculous, his wedding band thinner than the other.

"Before these witnesses, you have pledged to be joined in marriage. You have now sealed this pledge with your wedding rings. By the authority vested in me by the city of Giverny, I now pronounce you man and wife! Adrien, you may kiss your bride."

"Don't mind if I do!" He took her into his arms, spun her into a dip, and kissed her. Deeply, with passion, and with unanimous cheer in the background.

"Don't drop me," she whispered as he pulled away.

"Never, my wife." He righted her on her feet.

"I present, Mr. and Mrs. Adrien Dupain-Cheng—excuse me! Mr. and Mrs. Adrien Agreste!"

Laughing, they walked together back down the aisle.

—

The reception was in a tent just the opposite side of the yard from the ceremony. A little tea party garden like in Alice in Wonderland. A dance floor was set up in the center, with long king's tables set up around it.

Marinette and Adrien sat a sweethearts table up front, sharing a little settee. Soft vintage music played, creating a warm, friendly feeling, like one gets in the big city at Christmas time. The food was excellent, as was the Champagne Gabriel had picked out.

Speaking of Gabriel…

The sharp ping of a knife on a glass cut through the conversation, and the man stood. "Thank you all for coming here. It's vitally important that my kids are surrounded by people who love them unconditionally on such a momentous occasion. Adrien and Marinette, I have gone through a lot in my life. A lot of trials and tribulations. And without family, I may not have made it through them. You had each other, in the catacombs, and so you will have each other for the rest of your lives. But more than that, you have us. You've gained another set of parents. Another pillar of support in times to come. Another pair of cheerleaders in time of joy. And while I know I haven't been the most open or understanding the last few years…" He took a huge sigh, and then looked them both in the eyes. "The pride and love I feel for both of you, is immeasurable. I'm so happy you found each other."

When Gabriel stood, Marinette felt a flicker of doubt in the pit of her stomach, but now she just glowed in the glory and bliss of being a newlywed. Today was for her, for them, for their love.

Adrien didn't resist pressing a kiss to her cheek.

When it came time to dance, Adrien offered his new wife, officially, a hand. "A dance, my lady?"

"I would be delighted."

"Technically not our first dance…"

"But I'm counting this one, because we're surrounded by people we love and not a bunch of snobby rich people."

"Of course, my love."

_Let me be your wings_

_Let me be your only love_

_Let me take you far beyond the stars_

"Today was perfect."

"Marinette, I could have married you in the back alley by a dumpster, surrounded by feral raccoons, and it still would have been perfect."

"Would they be cute raccoons? With little bow ties?"

"Yes dear, little raccoon sized bow ties."

"Then yes, it would have been perfect."

_Let me be your wings_

_Let me lift you high above_

_Everything we're dreaming of will soon be ours._

"Did you really write a list of everything you love about me?" She asked.

"Of course. Plagg doubted that what I was feeling was love and not just admiration. I had a point to prove."

"And that whole list you had…was filled out?"

"Front and back. But there's probably repeats. I think I mentioned your bluebell eyes at least four times."

"It doesn't count if you repeat it!"

"It just means I quadruple my love for it!"

_Anything that you desire,_

_Anything at all._

_Everyday I'll take you higher_

_And I'll never let you fall._

"Are you upset that we're not going away on a honeymoon?" Adrien asked.

"No. I understand your father's fears, and I agree with him. We are doing really good…but I don't know if I'm ready for a trip on our own."

"I'll take care of you. You know that."

"Are you well enough?"

"Most days…"

"It's okay. We'll go soon."

_Let me be your wings_

_Leave behind the world you know_

_For another world of wondrous things._

_We'll see the universe and dance on Saturn's rings._

_Fly with me and I will be your wings._

"Adrien, tonight we're supposed to…"

"Yes?"

"I love you."

"I love you too, Marinette."

"But…I don't…love my body. Not yet. I'm sorry, I should have told you before this."

He hushed her. "My Lady, when you're ready, you let me know. I can wait. I want you to be happy and comfortable."

"Thank you, My Prince."

_Anything that you desire,_

_Anything at all._

_Everyday I'll take you higher_

_And I'll never let you fall._

"They did a really good job bringing your wedding book to life in a few months."

"Oh, I think we're just special." She laughed.

"Oh?"

"Go to any vendor in Paris, and ask if they'll tend to Ladybug and Chat Noir's wedding, I'm sure they'd jump on it!"

"Oh duh, you're right, as always. Still, this cottage is a little _too_ perfect, don't you think?"

"It feels like a dream."

"The best dream, one I never want to wake up from."

_Let me be your wings_

_(You will be my only love)_

_Get ready for a world of wondrous things_

_(Wondrous things are sure to happen)_

_We'll see the universe and dance on Saturn's rings._

Marinette rested her head on Adrien's collar bone, her arms wrapped around his shoulders. His own hands rested on her waist, holding her just far apart that he didn't step on her skirt. And that's how they danced. Just enjoying the smell of the other, the warmth, the comfort and softness. Of loving and being loved in return.

The brands on their hands didn't hurt anymore.

_Heaven isn't too far._

_Heaven is where you are,_

_Stay with me and let me be your wings._


End file.
